September 24, 2025 – The Coalition to Advance Maternal Therapeutics (CAMT) issued the following in response to the suggested link between the use of acetaminophen during pregnancy and autism in children.
The Coalition to Advance Maternal Therapeutics (CAMT) is concerned that yesterday’s press conference announcement suggesting a link between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and an increased risk of autism or other neurobehavioral problems in children discounts the current evidence base and creates confusion for expecting mothers and parents.
Too often, research does not include pregnant and lactating populations, leaving a critical gap in understanding medications’ safety and efficacy for both mother and baby. When research does include these populations, it is important to heed what the data shows. To date, research has not established a causal relationship between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and an increased risk of autism or other neurobehavioral problems in children.
Acetaminophen is currently one of the only medicines available to pregnant women to treat headaches and fevers. Having fevers during pregnancy leads to increased risk of having a baby with a neural tube defect, congenital heart defects, or miscarriage. The CAMT encourages pregnant women to consult with their health care provider on acetaminophen use during pregnancy.
The CAMT continues to champion the inclusion of pregnant women in research to ensure that women, their families, and health care providers have the data they need to make informed health care decisions that protect the health of both mother and baby.
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