Hi there, I’m Dr. Brian Evans, Chief Medical Officer here at Tahoe Forest Health System. I want to talk about the fact that the White House held a press conference very recently on the subject of Tylenol, or acetaminophen, and pregnancy.
What they specifically stated was that pregnant women should avoid Tylenol when they’re pregnant because of a risk of autism.
Tylenol, just so you know, is actually the brand name for acetaminophen. You can buy acetaminophen in the grocery store or the pharmacy; Tylenol is the brand name. There’s been some confusion around this criticism from scientific organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization.
What those organizations are saying is that there is no link between using Tylenol in pregnant women and autism.
I think some of the confusion comes from a number of studies that have come out fairly recently. One from Mount Sinai reviewed lots of other research that had been done. They determined there could be an association between Tylenol and the development of autism—just an association, though, and no cause identified.
A large study was published out of Sweden, which looked at over two million different births, and there was absolutely no positive connection identified between acetaminophen and autism later on.
So, my recommendation, or our recommendation here, is if you have concerns and you are pregnant, please come talk to your doctor about it. Talk to your doctor, but generally speaking, Tylenol is considered to be safe when indicated in pregnancy for things like fever.
The only medication that is indicated in pregnancy, unlike other medications like Advil or ibuprofen, is Tylenol. It is the safe alternative.
We’re here if you need us. Ask questions, and thank you.
