Taking Paracetamol During Pregnancy 'Does Not Increase Autism, ADHD Risk' – New Study
Taking paracetamol during pregnancy does not increase the risk of autism, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or intellectual disability among children, according to a new analysis published today.
The new research was conducted after US president Donald Trump claimed back in September 2025 that taking paracetamol – or acetaminophen, as it’s known in America – in pregnancy is linked to rising autism rates. At the time, several experts refuted the claims.
Researchers of today’s study suggest these claims were based on earlier studies that reported small associations between paracetamol in pregnancy and increased risks of autism.
They suggested these studies were often prone to biases, including being limited by the type of data collected and not exploring comparisons between siblings to account for family history, which is “vital information”.
What did the new analysis find?
Researchers from City St George’s, University of London, looked at 43 studies with the highest quality and most rigorous research methods, and compared pregnancies where the mother had taken paracetamol to pregnancies where they had not taken the drug.
They pooled the results of sibling comparison studies that compared siblings born to the same mother, where one pregnancy involved paracetamol exposure and another did not. This helps control for shared genetics, family environment and long-term parental characteristics that traditional studies cannot fully account for.
Across the sibling-comparison studies, data included 262,852 children assessed for autism, 335,255 for ADHD and 406,681 for intellectual disability.
When compared to pregnancies with no exposure to paracetamol, it was confirmed that taking paracetamol in pregnancy was not linked to childhood autism, ADHD or intellectual disability.
Professor Asma Khalil, Professor of Obstetrics and Maternal Fetal Medicine at City St George’s, University of London and consultant obstetrician, who led the study, said: “Our findings suggest that previously reported links are likely to be explained by genetic predisposition or other maternal factors such as fever or underlying pain, rather than a direct effect of the paracetamol itself.”
She continued: “The message is clear – paracetamol remains a safe option during pregnancy when taken as guided.
“This is important as paracetamol is the first-line medication we recommend for pregnant women in pain or with a fever, and so they should feel reassured that they still have a safe option to relieve them of their symptoms.”
The findings have been published in The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology & Women’s Health.
What’s the UK’s stance on taking paracetamol in pregnancy?
Ibuprofen isn’t recommended in pregnancy, which means paracetamol is one of the few remaining options for pregnant parents who struggle with pain.
“Paracetamol is the first choice of painkiller if you’re pregnant,” says the NHS. “It’s commonly taken during pregnancy and does not harm your baby.”
Following the US announcement suggesting a link between paracetamol and autism, the UK’s Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) reiterated “there is no evidence that taking paracetamol during pregnancy causes autism in children”.
DHSC added that untreated pain and fever “can pose real risks to the unborn baby”, so it is crucial to manage these symptoms with the recommended treatment.
Limitations of the study
The authors noted that a limitation of the new analysis is that it was not possible to look at smaller groups in the studies, with sibling comparisons based on which trimester of pregnancy paracetamol was consumed in, sex of the baby or how often paracetamol was taken, because too few of the existing studies reported these data.
Yet overall, the findings of the study support the recommendations made by major medical organisations worldwide, they added.
Researchers said they hope the “gold-standard review” will “put an end to any scepticism on using paracetamol during pregnancy as avoiding paracetamol for significant pain or fever can expose both mother and baby to known risks, particularly untreated maternal fever”.