ACMT Supports the Safe Use of Acetaminophen in Pregnancy

ACMT affirms the safety of acetaminophen in pregnancy and calls for an evidence-based approach to the search for causes and treatment of autism.

AZ, UNITED STATES, September 23, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- In response to the September 22nd White House press conference announcement linking autism to maternal acetaminophen use during pregnancy, the American College of Medical Toxicology (ACMT) affirms the safety of acetaminophen in pregnancy and calls for an evidence-based approach to the search for causes and treatment of autism.

ACMT is a professional group of medical toxicologists, including pediatricians, who specialize in the management of adverse effects from medications in the setting of both therapeutic use and overdose. Our specialists have expertise in developmental toxicology and pharmacology, including developmental pharmacology, risk assessment, and decades of experience managing the complications of acetaminophen use. Acetaminophen is safe and effective when taken as intended. Because of its safety profile and absence of teratogenic effects, acetaminophen has been considered the medication of choice for fever and pain relief during pregnancy.

Multiple studies have investigated the association between acetaminophen and autism but have failed to find a causal effect. Although a recent review suggested an association between maternal acetaminophen use and autism, it had significant limitations and fell short of using several widely recognized standards for determining causation. Larger, more sophisticated studies, including a study of siblings in the same family, demonstrated no increased risk in children exposed to acetaminophen. This suggests that other important factors, such as maternal health and genetics, are more likely to be responsible.

Raising concerns about acetaminophen use in pregnancy without strong supporting evidence may discourage women from treating or seeking care for conditions such as maternal fever, which is known to pose significant fetal risk on its own. Untreated maternal pain can also lead to morbidity. Patients may even seek alternative or unproven remedies to treat fever or pain that come with established risks. This may include pharmaceutical agents such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories and opioids, both of which can clearly cause harm to the developing fetus and newborn.

At this time, we cannot ascribe any causal relationship between acetaminophen and autism, which remains the preferred drug for fever and pain in pregnancy. We stand in agreement with other professional societies, such as the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists, the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Society for Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics in this assertion. Prematurely assigning blame to acetaminophen risks truncating the search for causes of autism altogether and eliminating the vital work being done in centers across the country and the world. ACMT strongly exhorts the scientific community and government agencies to continue to conduct and support research in this area, undeterred by unsubstantiated claims.

Ren Travis
American College of Medical Toxicology
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