Knowledge | Study clarifies that Tylenol use during pregnancy does not increase children’s risk of neurodevelopmental disorders
Concerns that taking acetaminophen such as Tylenol during pregnancy may increase a child’s risk of autism or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) now have a clearer answer. A large study of nearly 2.5 million children found that Tylenol use during pregnancy does not increase the risk of autism, ADHD, or intellectual disability.
The study, conducted jointly by Drexel University in the US and the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, was published this week in JAMA. The team analyzed medical records for 2,466,000 children born in Sweden between 1995 and 2019. Initial data showed a slight association between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and these neurodevelopmental disorders.
However, the association disappeared completely when researchers compared full siblings born to the same parents. This sibling-control analysis accounts for potential genetic and environmental confounders and was a crucial part of the study. The apparent initial risk may have reflected the pregnant woman’s own health rather than the medication.
“We can finally put this issue to rest,” science communicator Sabina Vohra-Miller posted on X. “There is no association between Tylenol use during pregnancy and autism, ADHD, or intellectual disability in children!” (Source: https://x.com/SabiVM/status/1778179655469173049)
Dr. Jeffrey Kuller, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist at Duke University who was not involved in the study, welcomed the findings. He noted that when a child has a health problem, many mothers blame themselves and revisit every detail of pregnancy, such as whether they smoked, drank alcohol, or took medication.
“Recall bias is real,” Kuller said. “Many women ask, ‘Did I cause my child’s problem? Was it because I had a glass of wine before I knew I was pregnant?’ But blaming one or two Tylenol tablets during pregnancy is unfair and scientifically unsupported.”
Current scientific consensus holds that childhood neurodevelopmental disorders have complex, varied causes involving genetics, the environment, and other factors that are not fully understood.
In contrast, some medications, including full-dose aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), carry established higher risks during pregnancy. These findings therefore offer reassurance about safer pain relievers, including over-the-counter acetaminophen products such as Tylenol.
Knowledge | Study clarifies that Tylenol use during pregnancy does not increase children’s risk of neurodevelopmental disorders
Knowledge | Study clarifies that Tylenol use during pregnancy does not increase children’s risk of neurodevelopmental disorders
Concerns that taking acetaminophen such as Tylenol during pregnancy may increase a child’s risk of autism or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) now have a clearer answer. A large study of nearly 2.5 million children found that Tylenol use during pregnancy does not increase the risk of autism, ADHD, or intellectual disability.
The study, conducted jointly by Drexel University in the US and the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, was published this week in JAMA. The team analyzed medical records for 2,466,000 children born in Sweden between 1995 and 2019. Initial data showed a slight association between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and these neurodevelopmental disorders.
However, the association disappeared completely when researchers compared full siblings born to the same parents. This sibling-control analysis accounts for potential genetic and environmental confounders and was a crucial part of the study. The apparent initial risk may have reflected the pregnant woman’s own health rather than the medication.
“We can finally put this issue to rest,” science communicator Sabina Vohra-Miller posted on X. “There is no association between Tylenol use during pregnancy and autism, ADHD, or intellectual disability in children!” (Source: https://x.com/SabiVM/status/1778179655469173049)
Dr. Jeffrey Kuller, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist at Duke University who was not involved in the study, welcomed the findings. He noted that when a child has a health problem, many mothers blame themselves and revisit every detail of pregnancy, such as whether they smoked, drank alcohol, or took medication.
“Recall bias is real,” Kuller said. “Many women ask, ‘Did I cause my child’s problem? Was it because I had a glass of wine before I knew I was pregnant?’ But blaming one or two Tylenol tablets during pregnancy is unfair and scientifically unsupported.”
Current scientific consensus holds that childhood neurodevelopmental disorders have complex, varied causes involving genetics, the environment, and other factors that are not fully understood.
In contrast, some medications, including full-dose aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), carry established higher risks during pregnancy. These findings therefore offer reassurance about safer pain relievers, including over-the-counter acetaminophen products such as Tylenol.
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