It happened on a Monday afternoon in September 2025. President Donald Trump stood in the Oval Office, flanked by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and dropped a bombshell that sent every pregnant woman in America—and their doctors—into a tailspin. He basically told the country that taking Tylenol is "not good."
Specifically, he targeted expectant mothers, claiming that using acetaminophen (the generic name for Tylenol) during pregnancy is linked to a "very increased risk of autism." He didn't just suggest being careful. He told women to "tough it out" unless they had a fever so high they literally couldn't function.
✨ Don't miss: Do Blueberries Make You Gassy? What Your Gut Is Actually Trying to Tell You
Honestly, the medical community's reaction was somewhere between a collective gasp and a scream. Within hours, groups like the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) were issuing frantic statements. Why the panic? Because for decades, Tylenol has been the one "safe" drug left on the shelf for pregnant women.
The Science Behind the Controversy
So, where did this come from? It wasn’t just a random thought. Trump and RFK Jr. were leaning on a specific type of research called observational studies. These studies look at thousands of people and notice patterns.
Some of these studies, including one from Johns Hopkins and another from the Boston Birth Cohort, did find that kids whose moms took a lot of Tylenol during pregnancy were more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD or autism later on. On paper, that sounds terrifying. If you're a parent, that's the kind of headline that keeps you up at night.
But here is the catch—and it's a big one. Association is not causation. Think about it this way: people who carry umbrellas are more likely to be in the rain. Does the umbrella cause the rain? Of course not. Doctors argue that women take Tylenol because they have a fever or a severe infection. It might be the fever itself that affects the baby's brain development, not the pill they took to stop it.
"Toughing It Out" vs. Real Risks
Trump’s advice to "tough it out" is probably the part that worried doctors the most. High fevers in pregnancy aren't just uncomfortable; they’re dangerous. A sustained fever, especially in the first trimester, is a known risk factor for neural tube defects and other developmental issues.
Basically, if you have a 102°F fever and you refuse to take a Tylenol because of the President's press conference, you might be putting your baby at a higher risk than if you just took the medicine.
What are the alternatives?
- Ibuprofen (Advil/Motrin): Usually off-limits, especially in the third trimester, because it can cause heart problems for the baby.
- Aspirin: Generally avoided unless a doctor prescribes a "baby aspirin" for specific conditions like preeclampsia.
- Nothing: The "tough it out" method, which risks untreated inflammation and high core body temperature.
The Swedish Study That Flipped the Script
While the Trump administration was citing studies that showed a link, they notably didn't focus on a massive 2024 study from Sweden. This one was a game-changer. Researchers followed nearly 2.5 million children over 25 years.
The researchers did something clever: they compared siblings. They looked at one brother who was exposed to Tylenol in the womb and another brother who wasn't. When they compared kids from the same family, the link to autism disappeared.
This suggests the risk isn't the drug. It's likely something in the family's genetics or the environment that makes them more prone to both needing pain relief and having neurodivergent children.
A Political Health Agency?
Shortly after the announcement, the FDA released an open letter. It was much more cautious than Trump's "don't take it" stance. They used words like "minimize use" and "lowest effective dose."
This created a weird situation where the President was saying one thing and the actual scientists at the FDA were trying to walk it back without looking like they were contradicting their boss. It’s a messy intersection of politics and medicine that’s become way too common.
The "Make America Healthy Again" movement, led by RFK Jr., argues that we’re over-medicated. In some ways, they’re right. We do pop pills for every minor ache. But when you apply that "common sense" logic to complex prenatal care, the "no downside" claim falls apart. The downside is a mother suffering from a migraine so bad she can’t eat, or a fever that causes a miscarriage.
Actionable Steps for Navigating the Noise
If you're currently pregnant or planning to be, don't let a press conference dictate your medical care. Here’s how to actually handle this:
1. Talk to your OB-GYN, not a politician. Your doctor knows your specific health history. If you have a history of high blood pressure or other risks, their advice will be tailored to you.
2. Follow the "Low and Slow" rule. Most experts agree that you shouldn't take Tylenol like candy. If you have a mild headache, try water, a snack, or a nap first. If you need the medicine, use the lowest dose that works for the shortest amount of time.
📖 Related: Exactly How Much Sugar Is in a Can of Coke and Why Your Liver Cares
3. Don't ignore a fever. If your temperature hits 100.4°F or higher, call your doctor. Most will still tell you to take acetaminophen to bring that fever down immediately.
4. Context matters. Taking one Tylenol for a toothache is very different from taking it every single day for six months. The studies that showed "links" to autism almost always involved long-term, heavy use.
Ultimately, the "Trump don't take Tylenol" moment was a classic case of taking a nuanced scientific debate and turning it into a black-and-white soundbite. Science is rarely that simple. While it’s always smart to be cautious with medications during pregnancy, the consensus from global health organizations remains: Tylenol is still the safest option we have—provided you use it when you actually need it.