Danish Study Finds No Link Between Prenatal Acetaminophen Use and Autism

A comprehensive Danish study has found no association between prenatal acetaminophen exposure and autism risk in children. The research, published in JAMA Pediatrics, analyzed data from over 1.5 million children born between 1997 and 2022. Among the 31,098 children exposed to acetaminophen in utero, 1.8% were later diagnosed with autism, compared to 3% in the unexposed group. The study accounted for various factors, including dosage and timing during pregnancy, and found no significant link. These findings align with a 2024 Swedish study that also reported no connection between prenatal acetaminophen use and autism. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had previously initiated a process to update acetaminophen labeling to reflect potential risks, citing studies suggesting a possible association with neurodevelopmental disorders. However, the Danish study's results provide reassurance regarding the safety of acetaminophen use during pregnancy.