Tylenol (Acetaminophen): Widely Used by Pregnant Women

Acetaminophen-based medications are used by an average of 52 million Americans every week (23% of the population), and is one of the most popular medications in the world.

Tylenol (active ingredient Acetaminophen) is used by an estimated 65% of pregnant women in the United States as a pain reliever and fever medication.

In recent years, health research has found consistent associations between exposure to acetaminophen and the onset of certain neurodevelopmental disorders such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Complex Developmental Disorder, and other neurodevelopment outcomes.

Although the drug has been associated with a reduced risk of stillbirth and preterm birth, consistent association between acetaminophen exposure and Autism Spectrum Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and other neurodevelopmental disorders has put into question the drug’s safety and how prolonged in-utero acetaminophen exposure can impact fetal brain development.

Tylenol and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

As Tylenol and generic Acetaminophen is so widely available and used, and research efforts have been relatively novel, we’ll only find more out about the potential links between Tylenol and Autism.

Several studies from global health agencies have shown a potential link between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and ASD, but the results are far from definitive.

While more research is needed to confirm any causal relationship, the available evidence suggests that pregnant women should be cautious about using acetaminophen.

If you are pregnant and taking acetaminophen, speak with your doctor about the risks and benefits.

With further research, we may be able to better understand the role of acetaminophen in ASD development, and ultimately help to prevent this condition.

Research on Tylenol’s Links to Autism

In recent years, multiple research studies conducted across North America and Europe have found that there is an increased risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in children prenatally exposed to Acetaminophen in the womb.

Below is a list of published research studies on Acetaminophen exposure and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Johns Hopkins University 2019 Study

In 2020, researchers from the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health published “Association of Cord Plasma Biomarkers of In Utero Acetaminophen Exposure With Risk of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorder in Childhood“.

Funded by the National Institute of Child Health and Development and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, researchers analyzed data from the Boston Birth Cohort and found that in 996 mother child pairs, cord blood samples indicated that Acetaminophen exposure was associated with a “significantly increased risk of childhood attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder”.

The final results of the study, using umbilical cord blood samples and following-up later in the child’s life with a childhood autism spectrum test, found that of the children prenatally exposed to Acetaminophen, 25.8% received an ADHD diagnosis, 6.6% were diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, 4.2% were diagnosed with both ADHD and ASD, 30.5% were diagnosed with other developmental disorders, and 32.8% were neurotypical.

Danish National Birth Cohort Study of 2016

In 2016, a team of researchers from Yale, UCLA and Denmark published “Maternal use of acetaminophen during pregnancy and risk of autism spectrum disorders in childhood: A Danish national birth cohort study“.

For nearly 13 years, researchers analyzed data and tracked over 32,000 mother child pairs to investigate whether Acetaminophen exposure during pregnancy is linked to an increased risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in offspring.

The Danish Cohort Study found that prenatal Acetaminophen exposure was associated with an increased risk of ASD accompanied by hyperkinetic symptoms (involuntary movement, tics), and the longer pregnant women used acetaminophen, a higher risk for ASD or infantile autism was associated.

2021 Spanish Study on Prenatal Acetaminophen Exposure

“Prenatal and postnatal exposure to acetaminophen in relation to autism spectrum and attention-deficit and hyperactivity symptoms in childhood” was published in the European Journal of Epidemiology in 2021.

The study included 73,881 mother child pairs from six European population based cohorts, and found strong evidence for an increased risk in the onset of Autism Spectrum Disorder in children prenatally exposed to acetaminophen.

The terminology used for Autism Spectrum Disorder in the study is Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC).

The study conducted two meta analyses on the six birth cohorts, and in the first meta analysis reported risk increases of 19% for ASC and 24% for ADHD diagnosis.

A Review of All Studies on Acetaminophen Exposure and Autism (2022)

In July 2022, a study was published in order to review all scientific papers investigating acetaminophen use during pregnancy and the potential effect acetaminophen exposure has on children.

Titled “A Systematic Review of the Link Between Autism Spectrum Disorder and Acetaminophen: A Mystery to Resolve“, the study brought together researchers from all over the world to review 16 studies on Acetaminophen exposure and neurodevelopment outcomes.

They found that all studies, included the three mentioned above on this page, showed similar results and pointed to a correlation between acetaminophen exposure and the development of conditions like Autism Spectrum Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

Legal Recourse if your Child has been Affected by Prenatal Acetaminophen Exposure

The attorneys at Keith Law Group are investigating the claims against manufacturers and distributors of Acetaminophen-based medications, as to whether acetaminophen exposure during pregnancy was linked to a higher risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and other behavioral outcomes.

Contact Keith Law Group for a free consultation or use the chatbot on our website to see if you qualify to file a claim instantly.