Maternal paracetamol (acetaminophen) use during pregnancy and risk of autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder in offspring: umbrella review of systematic reviews (10 November 2025)

Summary

Paracetamol (acetaminophen) is one of the most commonly used drugs in pregnancy worldwide. It is the recommended treatment for pain relief and fever in pregnancy. In September 2025, the US president advised against using Tylenol (acetaminophen) during pregnancy, citing risks of autism in children exposed to the drug in utero. The announcement caused considerable concern among pregnant women and mothers of children with autism. Worldwide, regulatory health agencies and expert bodies, such as the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, the European Medicines Agency, and the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration, responded with reassurance about the safety of paracetamol use during pregnancy.

This systematic review aimed to assess the quality, biases, and validity of evidence on maternal paracetamol (acetaminophen) use during pregnancy and the risk of autism spectrum disorder (referred to as autism) and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in offspring. It concluded that there is no existing evidence does not clearly link maternal paracetamol use during pregnancy with autism or ADHD in offspring.