Daijiworld Media Network - London

London, Jan 18: Taking paracetamol, also known as Tylenol in the United States, during pregnancy is safe and not linked to autism or other neurodevelopmental disorders, a group of European researchers has said, countering claims made earlier by US President Donald Trump.

In a review published on Saturday in The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology & Women’s Health, the researchers said they analysed the highest-quality available evidence to address concerns over a possible connection between paracetamol use during pregnancy and conditions such as autism and ADHD.

“Paracetamol is safe to use in pregnancy,” said lead author Asma Khalil, professor of obstetrics and maternal foetal medicine at City St George’s, University of London. She stressed that when used as recommended, there is no evidence of a causal link with autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or intellectual disability.

Khalil said she was frequently questioned by patients after Trump, in September, advised pregnant women not to take the drug, a remark that was criticised by national and international medical bodies as lacking scientific backing.

The researchers conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of existing data, identifying 43 studies that were assessed for quality and bias. Particular focus was placed on large studies comparing siblings born to the same mother, where paracetamol was used in one pregnancy but not another, helping to account for shared genetic and environmental factors.

Although only three such studies were identified, they covered more than 260,000 children assessed for autism and over 300,000 for ADHD and intellectual disabilities. The analysis found no significant association between paracetamol use during pregnancy and any of the conditions studied.

The authors said the findings remained consistent even when results from all high-quality studies were pooled. Khalil noted that earlier research suggesting a possible link was often affected by bias or confounding factors.

Paracetamol remains the only pain reliever considered safe for pregnant women, though doctors advise using it cautiously, at the lowest effective dose and for the shortest possible duration. Experts warned that untreated pain or fever during pregnancy can pose risks to both the mother and the baby.

Grainne McAlonan, professor of translational neuroscience at King’s College London, who was not involved in the study, welcomed the findings and said she hoped the research would finally put the debate to rest.