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The Facts About Autism & Tylenol
By Carol S. Siege, PCC
Founder, Family Pathways Coaching, LLC
On Sept. 22, 2025, President Donald Trump and Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. held a press conference to discuss their opinions about pregnant women using Tylenol. If I were generous, I would say the president’s outlook was slanted for political gain: It’s on-brand for him to say this issue is more evidence that he’s the truth teller, and the experts can’t be trusted. But I can’t be charitable here. That September announcement was irresponsible at best, dangerous at worst.
Read on for the facts about women taking acetaminophen during pregnancy and any connection or correlation to their children developing autism. And please! Trust your doctors and specialists, as well as scientists who have studied, trained, and conducted research on the causes of autism and specifically any links to the use of acetaminophen during pregnancy. These are the medical professionals who can speak with authority, rather than propogandists who postulate about what they feel is true.
- Past Studies
Since around 2013, researchers have been studying possible links between the use of acetaminophen, more commonly known by the brand name Tylenol, and autism. Earlier studies are not considered reliable because they were too small, not peer-reviewed, and theoretical. In the 2010’s, multiple reliable European studies were conducted that showed some links between the use of Tylenol in pregnant women and neurodivergent children; however, no studies showed that Tylenol caused autism.
- Recent Studies
Significant research conducted in Sweden and Japan over the past five years has added crucially to the discussion by studying siblings and their mother’s use of Tylenol during pregnancy. While there continues to be a small increase in the likelihood of autism when comparing pregnant women who use Tylenol with those who do not, these studies consistently show that it is more likely that genetics and, to a lesser extent, environmental factors are leading to a rise in autism.
- Causes of Autism
The latest studies point to genetics as the strongest predictor of autism. While there is no single “autism gene,” approximately 50-60 percent of a child’s likelihood to develop autism comes from genetics. Other smaller links come from environmental factors like genetic mutations, as well being an older parent, which leads to more of these genetic mutations. Complications during pregnancy and birth also show a higher likelihood of causing autism. Some conditions that have been raised as possible causes of autism are not borne out in these studies, which include mothers using acetaminophen or antidepressants, air pollution, and pesticides.
4. Medical Advice
Members of the medical and scientific communities, ranging from public health agencies like the FDA to professional medical organizations like the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), agree that acetaminophen is safe to use during pregnancy at low doses and for short periods of time. They caution against the dangers of fever and inflammation during pregnancy, which can both affect the health of the fetus and can be addressed safely with the judicious use of acetaminophen.
While it would be convenient and easy to blame autism on a mother’s use of Tylenol – or vaccines or dirty air or water, as RFK Jr. contends – rigorous science just doesn’t support his claims and actually could cause more harm than good.
Yes, Autism Spectrum Disorder, which under its current medical definition is a neurodevelopmental disorder that varies greatly in severity and presentation, can be enormously challenging, in particular for people whose cognitive abilities are significantly impaired and who struggle to communicate. And it can also be a condition that individuals navigate successfully, often discovering unique strengths along the way. Some of those gifts include:
- The ability to focus intensely and develop deep interests
- Strong memory and analytical skills
- Creativity and unique perspectives
- Strong work ethic and perseverance
- Unique emotional and social insights
I know parents of profoundly affected autistic people who wish desperately they could find a cure for autism and certainly would not to have chosen for their children and families to have suffered as they have.
And yet, as the mom of three sons who are on the spectrum, my experience has been both challenging and rewarding. My sons are atypical, and they have struggled, for sure. They are also compassionate, kind, and smart. They must work harder than others to understand social norms, and it can be tricky when they bump up against the realities of a world that expects them to communicate and behave in certain ways. And they also offer the world – and me – gifts that could never come from a “neurotypical” brain.
I also know that my sons do not see themselves as broken. They would not choose to be different people. They are not looking to be cured.
