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Tylenol risk debatable?

NJ autism experts weighs in on Trump's pregnancy warning

By: Scott Fallon
NorthJersey.com
USA Today Network - New Jersey

..... In a state with one of the higher rates of autism, President Donald Trump's announcement September 22 [2025] that Tylenol's active ingredient - acetaminophen - raises the risk of autism in children if taken by pregnant women may resonate with many New Jersey families.
..... But is it true?
..... Some studies have suggested a link. Others have said there is none. Still, Trump repeatedly urged pregnant women not to take Tylenol, during a news conference September 22 [2025] with Helaht and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kenny Jr. "Fight like hell not to take it," he said.
..... "Taking Tylenol is not good, he said. "For this reason, they are strongly recommending that women limit Tylenol use during pregnancy unless medically necessary. That's, for instance, in cases of extremely high fever, that you feel you can't tough it out."
..... Several medical groups said Trump's claims are unfounded. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists said it would continue to recommend acetaminophen as "a safe, trusted option for pain relief during pregnancy."
..... But Kennedy said the Food and Drug Administration will issue a physician's notice about the risk of acetaminophen in pregnancy and initiate a safety label change. "HHS will launch a nationwide public service campaign to inform families and protect public health," he said.
..... In New Jersey, which has one of the nation's higher autism rates, one study puts it as high as 2.9% of children. The cause is not known, but some experts attribute New Jersey's higher rate to a more robust system to diagnosis autism - including better health care access and early education programs.
..... Some studies have suggested that using acetaminophen during pregnancy increased the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism and intellectual disabilities. a report published last month [08/2025] by scientists found that among 46 studies, 27 reported significant links, nine showed no significant link and four showed protective effects form acetaminophen.
..... A 2024 study in the Journal of American Medicine said other studies were flawed because they didn't look at pairs of siblings. They study examined 2.5 million children born between 1995 and 2019 in Sweden. Taking acetaminophen during pregnancy was not associated with autism, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, or intellectual disabilities, the report concluded.
.... NorthJersey.com asked Kaitlin Mulcahy, the director of Montclair State University's Center for Autism and Early childhood Mental Health, for her thoughts on Trump's announcement.

Is there a consensus?

..... There is not a consensus on the link between acetaminophen use in pregnancy and autism. In fact, research done on this connection has only demonstrated a very small association, and it is not clear that the association is because Tylenol or something else, including whatever the person was taking the Tylenol to ease. As science has taught us, correlation does not imply causation.

Can there be a single cause?

..... Autism is a diagnosis that describes a highly compile cluster of symptom,s that manifest differently in each person, demonstrating the neurodiversity that exists within us all. Decades of research on etiology has taught us that a complex presentation typically does not have one cause. Instead, we have learned that there is no single root cause of autism.

What impact will the announcement have?

..... Today's [09/22/2025] announcement is concerning in its messaging that there might be a single cause of autism with extremely little evidence that suggests the link between taking acetaminophen in pregnancy and autism.

Will it affect treatment of pregnant women?

..... It is worrisome to suggest restricting medical treatment for pregnant women when both pain and fever can not only be harmful to the health of the pregnant person, but also the baby. We encourage discussion with medical providers to determine the best course of treatment for each person.

Will OB/GYNs back away from prescribing Tylenol?

..... We recommend speaking to an OB/GYN about this requisition, but what is commonly known is that acetaminophen has been prescribed as a safe, preventive measure during pregnancy.

..... This HomeSite-and-answer segment has been editor for space and clarity. This article contains information from USA Today.

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