Trump Tylenol warnings leave pregnant women divided

President Donald Trump’s comments at a White House briefing warning pregnant women not to take Tylenol because of a claimed link to autism, and his reiteration of debunked assertions about vaccines, drew mixed reactions from expectant mothers across the country. Faith Ayer, a nurse practitioner in Jacksonville, Fla., who is about 17 weeks pregnant, said she had long relied on acetaminophen to manage chronic migraines and a fever during COVID-19. She said the president’s warnings left her “unsettled” and concerned that political rhetoric could influence medical decisions. “A lot of the claims that were shared have just not been backed by evidence,” Ayer said, noting the message could ripple beyond the White House to patients nationwide and even worldwide.

Medical guidance has not changed: acetaminophen is generally considered among the safest options for pain relief during pregnancy when used as directed. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has long recommended acetaminophen for fever or pain in pregnancy. The Food and Drug Administration warned five years ago that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin or ibuprofen can cause rare but serious kidney problems in a fetus. In practice, doctors emphasize balancing the benefits of treating fever and pain against any potential risks, and many patients are counseled that untreated fevers pose their own risks to pregnancy. Ayer said she discussed Tylenol with her clinician and felt comfortable continuing use during her own pregnancy, given the known risks of high fever and untreated pain.

Dr. R. Todd Ivey, an OB-GYN in Houston, said he has already heard from a few patients and expects to hear more in the weeks ahead. “People are concerned,” he said, but he emphasized that there is no proven causal link between acetaminophen use in pregnancy and autism. “What I’m telling patients is that there is no causation that has ever been proven,” Ivey said.

Stella Dantas, an OB-GYN in Portland, Ore., said she has begun fielding questions through her clinic’s patient email system. “I anticipate we’re going to have a lot of anxiety about using acetaminophen, which we counsel them is OK to use if they have a headache or a fever,” Dantas said. “There are a number of reasons patients will need to take it, and patients already feel anxious about taking any medication in pregnancy.”

Clayton Alfonso, an OB-GYN at Duke University, is drafting standard responses for the nursing team to Tylenol inquiries. “The main message: Tylenol has been around for decades, is safe, and has not been shown to cause autism,” he said. The evidence is mixed: some studies have suggested a possible association with autism, while many others have not found a connection. Experts note that disentangling the effects of fever from those of acetaminophen use can be challenging, since maternal infection and fever themselves may influence fetal brain development.

Public attention to vaccines has also shaped conversations. Doctors say they have seen more patients decline newborn vaccinations amid a broader distrust of the medical establishment. Ivey stressed that vaccines have saved lives and do not cause autism, but cautioned against allowing sensational claims to erode trust in medical guidance. “We know that these vaccines save lives,” Ivey said. “They don’t cause autism.” Clinicians added that families should consult credible medical professionals if concerns arise and that a careful, evidence-based approach helps protect both mother and child. “We need to take a deep breath. We need to trust the people that are doing the work—the scientists, the physicians, the other health care providers,” Ivey said.