No Link Between Acetaminophen and Autism, ADHD, Evidence Review Concludes

Key TakeawaysAcetaminophen taken during pregnancy does not appear to increase risk of autismAn evidence review found no link between acetaminophen use in pregnancy and autism, ADHD or intellectual disabilityThe review analyzed studies comparing children exposed to acetaminophen to siblings who weren’t.TUESDAY, Jan. 20, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Taking acetaminophen during pregnancy does not increase a child’s risk of autism, ADHD or intellectual disability, a new evidence review has concluded.The review, which analyzed results from 43 previous studies, debunked claims that acetaminophen taken while pregnant can impact the brain development of children. The pain-reliever is known as paracetamol in Europe and some other countries overseas.“The message is clear – paracetamol remains a safe option during pregnancy when taken as guided,” said lead researcher Dr. Asma Khalil, a professor of obstetrics and maternal fetal medicine at City St. George’s, University of London.“This is important as paracetamol is the first-line medication we recommend for pregnant women in pain or with a fever, and so they should feel reassured that they still have a safe option to relieve them of their symptoms,” Khalil said in a news release.The most prominent person alleging a link between acetaminophen and autism is President Donald Trump, who in September made the claim using the drug's most prominent brand name, Tylenol.Trump repeated the claim as recently as Jan. 5, with a post on Truth Social that said, “Pregnant Women, DON’T USE TYLENOL UNLESS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.”Major medical societies including the American College of Obstetrics & Gynecology have refuted the claim.Studies in the evidence review included sibling-comparison studies involving nearly 263,000 children assessed for autism, more than 335,000 assessed for ADHD, and nearly 407,000 for intellectual disability.Those sorts of studies, which compare siblings born the same mother, are thought to produce some of the highest quality medical evidence. The design helps control for factors like genetics, family environment and parental characteristics.Results showed that children exposed to acetaminophen during pregnancy had no greater risk of brain development problems than siblings who weren’t exposed to the over-the-counter pain reliever.“Our findings suggest that previously reported links are likely to be explained by genetic predisposition or other maternal factors such as fever or underlying pain, rather than a direct effect of the (acetaminophen) itself,” Khalil said.The evidence review appears in The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology & Women’s Health.More informationThe American College of Obstetrics & Gynecology has more on acetaminophen and pregnancy.SOURCE: City St. George’s, University of London, news release, Jan. 16, 2026 .What This Means For YouPregnant women can take acetaminophen without danger to their child, although experts recommend discussing any medication use with a doctor..Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter