Study Reveals No Link Between Prenatal Acetaminophen and Autism or ADHD in Offspring

THURSDAY, July 9, 2026 (HealthDay News) -- There is no evidence for an association between prenatal acetaminophen exposure and the risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in offspring, according to a sibling-matched analysis published online June 29 in JAMA Internal Medicine.Shan Luo, Ph.D., from The University of Hong Kong, and colleagues examined the association between prenatal acetaminophen exposure and risk for ASD and ADHD in an offspring study using a sibling-matched design. Sibling-matched cohorts were constructed of children from families with discordant prenatal acetaminophen exposure and sufficient follow-up from an initial cohort of 708,020 mother-child pairs.The final cohorts included 124,333 children for ASD analysis and 97,285 for ADHD analysis. The researchers found that prenatal acetaminophen exposure was not associated with the risk for ASD or ADHD in sibling-matched analyses. Across exposure timing, cumulative dose, and usage patterns, null associations were consistent and they were robust in sensitivity analyses. In conventional cohort analyses and in negative control analyses of prepregnancy exposure for ASD and ADHD, positive associations were observed."This population-based cohort study adds evidence from a large Chinese population to the growing international consensus that prenatal paracetamol [acetaminophen] exposure is not a major risk factor for ASD or ADHD in offspring," the authors write. "While this study directly addresses recent public concerns regarding these specific outcomes, future research should investigate other neurodevelopmental outcomes."One author disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical industry.Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)Editorial (subscription or payment may be required).Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter

Study Reveals No Link Between Prenatal Acetaminophen and Autism or ADHD in Offspring

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