Acetaminophen Linked To Autism/ADHD, Evidence Review Argues

Key TakeawaysAcetaminophen taken during pregnancy might increase a child’s risk of autism or ADHDAn evidence review found 'strong evidence' linking acetaminophen to developmental brain disordersThe review included 46 prior studies, but could not show a direct cause-and-effect link.TUESDAY, Aug. 19, 2024 (HealthDay News) — Taking acetaminophen while pregnant might increase a child’s risk of autism or ADHD, a new evidence review says.Analysis of 46 prior studies involving more than 100,000 participants found “strong evidence” that prenatal exposure to acetaminophen could increase the risk of developmental brain disorders like autism and ADHD, researchers reported Aug. 13 in the journal BMC Environmental Health.“Our findings show that higher-quality studies are more likely to show a link between prenatal acetaminophen exposure and increased risks of autism and ADHD,” said lead researcher Diddier Prada, an assistant professor of population health science and policy at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City.This potential link could explain the ongoing surge in developmental disorders among children, the research team said.“As acetaminophen has become the recommended pain reliever for pregnant mothers, the rates of ADHD and ASD have increased more than 20-fold over the past decades,” the researchers concluded in their paper.“Given the widespread use of this medication, even a small increase in risk could have major public health implications,” Prada added in a news release.However, he said expecting mothers should consult with their doctor before they stop taking acetaminophen.“Untreated pain or fever can also harm the baby,” Prada said. “Our study highlights the importance of discussing the safest approach with health care providers and considering non-drug options whenever possible.”Acetaminophen, often sold under the brand name Tylenol, is the most commonly used over-the-counter pain and fever medication during pregnancy, researchers said.The drug is used by more than half of pregnant women worldwide, and up to now has been considered their safest option for relieving headache, fever and other pain, researchers said.For their review, researchers analyzed 46 prior studies exploring the potential associations between acetaminophen use and later developmental disorders.Overall, 27 studies found significant links between acetaminophen and disorders like autism or ADHD, results show. Another nine studies showed no link, and four indicated that acetaminophen might protect against such disorders.Neither the review nor the individual studies show that acetaminophen directly causes developmental disorders, only that there is an association, researchers noted.Nevertheless, the team said its findings strengthen the evidence of a connection and raise concerns about current clinical practices.In the future, pregnant women should use acetaminophen cautiously for limited periods of time under medical supervision, the researchers said.“We recommend judicious acetaminophen use — lowest effective dose, shortest duration — under medical guidance, tailored to individual risk–benefit assessments, rather than a broad limitation,” researchers wrote.Further, clinical guidelines should be updated to better reflect the benefits and risks of acetaminophen use, the team added.“Appropriate and immediate steps should be taken to advise pregnant women to limit acetaminophen consumption to protect their offspring’s neurodevelopment,” the research team wrote.“Although acetaminophen remains the preferred analgesic due to its relatively favorable safety profile compared to other medications, its use should be approached judiciously, particularly in light of potential implications for fetal development,” the team added.The new paper also explored how acetaminophen might affect a baby’s brain development.Acetaminophen is known to cross the placental barrier, researchers said. It could disrupt hormones and cause changes in genetic expression for gestating fetuses, affecting brain development.More research is needed to both verify these findings and figure out specifically how acetaminophen affects fetal development, the team said.More informationThe Cleveland Clinic has more about acetaminophen during pregnancy.SOURCES: Mount Sinai, news release, Aug. 13, 2025; BMC Environmental Health, Aug. 13, 2025 .What This Means For YouPregnant women should talk with their doctor about whether or not to use acetaminophen..Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter