Dr. Sanjay Gupta, a CNN medical correspondent, mentioned on Tuesday that there will be no changes to medical advice regarding acetaminophen use in pregnant women, despite comments made by President Trump linking it to autism development.
“I really don’t think the guidance is going to change, Pamela,” Gupta remarked during an interview with CNN’s Pamela Brown. “Most doctors have pointed out for some time how crucial it is to treat fever during pregnancy, and that if acetaminophen is used, it should be the shortest dose for the shortest time possible. That’s a consistent message from health organizations.”
During a press conference on Monday, Trump warned pregnant women against using acetaminophen over concerns regarding an increased risk of prenatal autism. Acetaminophen is the main ingredient in Tylenol, commonly used for pain relief.
The president announced that the FDA has updated its labeling for acetaminophen, indicating that “the rate of autism could be significantly increased” with its use during pregnancy.
Several studies referenced by the White House suggest a connection between acetaminophen usage during pregnancy and an increased incidence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and other neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD).
Research from Mount Sinai and Harvard, published on August 14 and funded by the National Institutes of Health, found that 27 out of 46 studies indicated a positive association between prenatal acetaminophen use and NDD occurrences in children.
However, this review did not establish a definitive causal link between acetaminophen use in pregnancy and the development of prenatal autism.
The Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) issued a statement emphasizing that while claims are being made, there is still no established causal relationship, despite thorough reviews suggesting a potential association between acetaminophen use and increased rates of autism and ADHD.
Gupta noted a 2024 study from Sweden that found a slight association between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and risks of ASD and ADHD in children without considering sibling controls. Yet, in sibling matches, the study concluded that acetaminophen use during pregnancy did not increase risks of these conditions.
“Hopefully, this will alleviate some of the guilt that mothers might feel, as there wasn’t a direct cause-and-effect relationship found,” he said.
Gupta also mentioned that there are studies indicating risks to prenatal development in pregnant women using ibuprofen and aspirin, two other commonly used pain relievers.
According to the National Medical Library (NLM), ibuprofen is not recommended after the 20th week of pregnancy. Evidence suggests that medication use at various stages can potentially harm fetal kidneys and may lead to issues like lung hypertension, premature birth, or low birth weight. The NLM report also states it’s unclear if ibuprofen use during pregnancy affects behavioral or learning problems in children.
In 2023, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the SMFM reaffirmed their guidance on aspirin use in pregnancy, noting that low daily doses are deemed safe and unlikely to cause severe complications. However, only women at high risk for certain conditions should use preventative low-dose aspirin to guard against early pregnancy loss, growth restrictions, or premature birth.
