Importance Whether maternal use of acetaminophen during pregnancy is associated with offspring's neurodevelopment remains debated. Objective To evaluate the associations of maternal prenatal prescriptions of acetaminophen with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) among offspring. Design, Setting, Participants This cohort study analyzed 2 092 926 singleton births between 2004 and 2015 in Taiwan, with 1 231 819 having at least 1 sibling. Estimated hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs were examined for offspring ADHD or ASDs according to prenatal acetaminophen prescriptions, adjusting for confounding factors. Exposure Prescriptions of acetaminophen were extracted from the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD). Acetaminophen use was defined as having at least 2 dispense records during pregnancy, and the total number of prescriptions and the estimated mean daily dispensed dose were examined. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcome was ascertaining diagnoses of ADHD and ASDs from the NHIRD. Results Of the 2 092 926 singleton births between 2004 and 2015, 48.3% (n = 1 012 159) were born to mothers with at least 2 acetaminophen prescriptions during pregnancy. In the full cohort ASD dataset (N = 2 092 926), 23 557 children (0.01%) had ASD, and in the full ADHD dataset (N = 2 079 935), 116 387 children (0.06%) had ADHD. In the full cohort, offspring ADHD and ASDs were associated with prenatal prescriptions to acetaminophen, with associations noted for higher frequencies of acetaminophen use or higher mean daily dispensed doses of acetaminophen. In sibling-matched analyses, the associations between prenatal exposures to acetaminophen and ADHD and ASDs among offspring were null. However, a positive association was observed when only the older sibling was exposed (HR, 1.33 [95% CI, 1.17-1.52] for ADHD; HR, 1.75 [95% CI, 1.29-2.36] for ASDs), and a negative association was observed when only the younger sibling was exposed (HR, 0.75 [95% CI, 0.67-0.84] for ADHD; HR, 0.74 [95% CI, 0.57-0.96] for ASDs). The divergence of associations persisted in the bidirectional analyses of higher frequencies of acetaminophen use or higher mean daily doses of acetaminophen. Conclusions and Relevance The findings of this cohort study in Taiwan suggest that positive associations were observed between maternal prenatal acetaminophen prescriptions and offspring's ADHD or ASDs in the full cohort but not in the sibling-matched analyses. A substantial divergence in associations in the sibling bidirectional analyses indicates unaddressed sources of bias and prevents firm conclusions from being drawn using the sibling design.

Paracetamol (acetaminophen) is frequently used during pregnancy to treat pain and fever. Recently, public concern increased after claims by the US president that prenatal exposure to acetaminophen may increase the risk of autism in children. While regulatory agencies and professional organizations have reaffirmed the safety of paracetamol use during pregnancy, systematic reviews of observational studies on this topic vary in their methods, control for confounding, and findings. As a result, the strength and validity of the evidence remain uncertain. This study aims to evaluate the quality of existing evidence and the reported associations between prenatal paracetamol exposure and risks of autism and ADHD in children. This umbrella review conducted searches of Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Epistemonikos, and gray literature through September 2025 to identify systematic reviews and meta-analyses evaluating maternal paracetamol use during pregnancy and risks of autism spectrum disorder or attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder in offspring. Independent reviewers screened studies and assessed full texts for eligibility. Systematic reviews were included if they evaluated randomized trials or observational studies examining prenatal paracetamol exposure and neurodevelopmental outcomes in children. The AMSTAR 2 tool was used to assess the methodological quality of each review. Data on study characteristics, exposure definitions, outcomes, confounder adjustment, and effect estimates were extracted by 2 independent reviewers. Findings were summarized narratively, and the degree of overlap of primary studies across reviews was accounted for to avoid over-weighting. Among 663 articles identified, 9 systematic reviews met the inclusion criteria. Forty primary studies were represented, most of which were prospective cohort studies. Overall methodological quality was low, with some of the common limitations including a lack of protocol registration, incomplete search strategies, and inadequate assessment of bias in primary studies. There was a considerable overlap of primary studies between reviews. All reviews reported a positive association between prenatal acetaminophen use and adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes, though they recognized a lack of causal association due to residual confounding and other limitations. Meta-analyses reported pooled risk estimates for ADHD of ~1.2 to 1.4, with smaller positive associations for autism. Stronger associations were reported when exposure occurred with higher frequency, longer duration, or later in gestation. However, the few studies that accounted for familial influence using sibling-controlled analyses found attenuated associations, which suggests that unmeasured familial or environmental confounding could explain a significant portion of the observed relationship. The findings suggest that the previously reported association between prenatal paracetamol exposure and autism or ADHD is more likely explained by bias and confounding than a causal effect. Prior systematic reviews often reported small positive associations, but the primary studies included were heterogeneous and frequently lacked adequate control for confounding. In the few studies that accounted for shared familial factors using sibling comparisons, the associations were reduced, suggesting that genetic, environmental, or other family-level factors play a large role in the observed relationship. Strengths of this umbrella review include a comprehensive search strategy and a formal assessment of review quality and study overlap. Limitations include the heterogeneity and generally low methodological quality of the included reviews, as well as reliance on previously published data. (Summarized from Sheikh J, Allotey J, Sobhy S, et al. Maternal paracetamol (acetaminophen) use during pregnancy and risk of autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder in offspring: umbrel

<h4>Objective</h4>This meta-analysis aimed to assess the ASD risk in offspring exposed to prenatal acetaminophen compared to non-exposed offspring.<h4>Methods</h4>A systematic search was conducted across PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases up to October 2025. Studies were included if they involved pregnant women, compared exposed versus non-exposed groups, were RCTs or cohort studies, and reported ASD outcomes. Data was extracted independently by two authors, with discrepancies resolved by consensus. Statistical analyses used odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals, Cochran Q, and I² statistics with a random-effects model. Study quality was appraised using the ROBINS-E tool.<h4>Results</h4>Eight studies, involving 2,560,208 patients, were included. Pooled results showed an 18% increased risk of ASD diagnosis (p <0.0001) and a non-significant 16% increase for ASD symptoms (p=0.1719). Dose-response relationships and gender-specific effects were reported by studies, while familial confounding and "some concerns" to "high" risk of bias were identified.<h4>Conclusion</h4>A consistent, albeit modest, association was found. These findings emphasize the necessity for careful benefit-risk assessments and informed dialogue with expectant mothers regarding pain and fever management during pregnancy.<b>PROSPERO</b>: CRD420251160888.

"Recent investigations have found that using Tylenol during pregnancy significantly increases the likelihood of children developing autism and ADHD."

President Trump Makes an Announcement on Medical and Scientific Findings for America's Children ← President Trump Makes an Announcement on Medical and Scientific Findings for America's Children ( 2025 ) by Donald John Trump and Robert Francis Kennedy → A brief transcription of U.S. President Donald Trump delivering an announcement on medical and scientific findings on September 22, 2025. Questions from reporters and remarks from mothers are thus excluded, as they are not in the public domain, however, the words said by Donald Trump, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. , Jay Bhattacharya, Marty Makary, Mehmet Oz, and Dorothy Fink are in the public domain, as they were part of their official duties as federal government employees. 5101637 President Trump Makes an Announcement on Medical and Scientific Findings for America's Children 2025 Donald John Trump and Robert Francis Kennedy (1954- ) President Trump Makes an Announcement on Medical and Scientific Findings for America's Children ( 784.15 MB, 1:55:06, help , file info or download ) PRESIDENT TRUMP: Thank you very much. So I've been waiting for this meeting for 20 years actually, and it's not that everything's 100 percent understood or known, but I think we've made a lot of strides. I wish it was done a long time ago. Today we're delighted to be joined by America's top medical and public health professionals as we announce historic steps to confront the crisis of autism. Horrible, horrible crisis. I want to thank the man who brought this