'Tylenol Causes Autism':
Panic Among Pregnant Women After Trump's Remarks
U.S. Medical Community Maintains Recommendation for Acetaminophen Use
"Safe When Used After Consulting a Doctor"
Direct Causal Link Between Tylenol and Autism Remains Unclear
Experts have recommended that it is safe for pregnant women to take Tylenol to relieve pain and fever. Although recent remarks by Donald Trump, President of the United States, have caused confusion, the American medical community continues to consider Tylenol safe for pregnant women.
According to CNN on the 22nd (local time), Dr. Susan Kressly, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), stated in a press release, "At today's White House event on autism, dangerous and misleading information was shared, causing confusion for parents and pregnant women, and also disadvantaging people with autism."
On this day, President Trump held a press conference at the White House and said, "Acetaminophen, which is widely known as Tylenol, can significantly increase the risk of autism in babies if taken during pregnancy," adding, "Taking Tylenol is not good." He also mentioned that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) would notify doctors that the use of acetaminophen could "be associated with" an increased risk of autism.
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists: "Acetaminophen is a suitable medication for use during pregnancy"
However, major U.S. medical institutions believe that the benefits of using acetaminophen (Tylenol) to treat pain and fever during pregnancy outweigh the potential risks.
Donald Trump, President of the United States, is holding a press conference and speaking at the White House on the 22nd (local time). Photo by Reuters Yonhap News
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) has confirmed that acetaminophen is safe to use during pregnancy and recommends it as a first-line treatment. The Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine also reaffirmed its previous recommendation that it is "a suitable medication for treating pain and fever during pregnancy."
These organizations recommend that pregnant women consult with healthcare providers before taking any medication, but they also emphasized, "There is insufficient evidence to clearly prove a causal relationship between acetaminophen and neurodevelopmental disorders in children."
U.S. medical community points out limitations of Tylenol-autism research
Recent studies have examined the link between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism, but these studies have significant limitations, such as a lack of specific information on dosage and duration of use, and most were based on self-reported data from participants.
For this reason, experts believe that there is no clear direct causal relationship between acetaminophen and autism. Some have even suggested that pain or fever during pregnancy itself could potentially affect neurodevelopment.
Dr. Steven Fleischman, president of ACOG, said, "It is difficult to confirm a clear causal relationship in past studies. Suggesting an association is too premature."
Dr. James McPartland, director of the Yale University Developmental Disabilities Clinic, told CNN, "Autism is a complex disorder caused by a combination of various factors, and there is no single cause."
Experts emphasize that acetaminophen is an effective way to manage pain and fever in pregnant women, and that decades of research show it is generally safe when used at recommended doses and in consultation with a physician. Dr. McPartland said, "This is not significantly different from existing recommendations, and pregnant women should consider health risks and consult with their doctors to decide on appropriate medication use." Dr. Bryant added, "Treating pain and fever in pregnant women requires a different approach than in non-pregnant individuals, so careful consultation is important."
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