London: European researchers have confirmed that the use of paracetamol by pregnant women does not cause autism in their children, challenging earlier claims made by the former US president.
According to Thai News Agency, a research team led by Asma Khalil at the City of St. George's, University of London, conducted an extensive review of 43 studies. The studies focused on children born to mothers who used paracetamol during one pregnancy but not another, considering genetic and familial factors. Out of these, only three studies met the necessary criteria, yet they had large sample sizes. The research involved assessments of over 260,000 children for autism, 335,000 for ADHD, and 405,000 for intellectual disabilities.
The findings of the report indicate that there is no conclusive evidence linking paracetamol, known as Tylenol in the US, to autism, ADHD, or intellectual disabilities in children when used as prescribed by doctors during pregnancy. The report also highlights the influx of patient concerns following the US leader's 2025 statement suggesting a link between paracetamol use during pregnancy and an increased risk of autism, based on a review of 46 studies.
A previous 2024 study conducted in Sweden found no evidence that paracetamol consumption during pregnancy heightened the risk of autism in the fetus.