President Donald Trump and his administration have issued new health guidance advising pregnant women to avoid acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, due to potential links to autism. This recommendation is based on several studies, including research from the Nurses’ Health Study II, and the Boston Birth Cohort, Harvard, and Johns Hopkins. Though it’s important to note that large portions of the medical community, , have doubted and disagreed with the connection that acetaminophen can directly cause autism. According to Karoline Levitt:
There is mounting evidence finding a connection between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and autism — and that’s why the Administration is courageously issuing this new health guidance.
Researchers at the found that newborns with the highest exposure to acetaminophen were about three times more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD or autism spectrum disorder in childhood. They found that the connection between autism and acetaminophen has to do with oxidative stress and hormone disruptions. Researchers said they think Tylenol could affect a baby’s brain because it crosses the placenta and can create toxic byproducts that stress developing brain cells, disrupt hormones needed for growth, and interfere with key brain signaling systems.
Contradicting opinions
However, the that “a causal relationship has not been established.”
The White House’s guidance has sparked debate within the medical community. that acetaminophen may affect a developing baby’s brain by crossing the placenta and causing oxidative stress and hormone disruptions. This could potentially interfere with brain development. Despite these concerns, other studies, such as suggest that the associations between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and autism or ADHD may be due to familial confounding rather than a direct cause.
As autism rates continue to rise, with nearly one in 31 children diagnosed, the administration’s warning has prompted calls for further research to clarify the potential risks of acetaminophen use during pregnancy.
