Overview
- The BMJ analysis synthesized nine systematic reviews covering 40 observational studies on prenatal paracetamol use and child neurodevelopment.
- Seven of the nine reviews cautioned against causal claims, and the authors rated overall confidence in the evidence as low to critically low due to bias and confounding.
- In the only review including sibling-controlled studies, apparent links to autism or ADHD disappeared or diminished after accounting for shared familial factors.
- Clinicians note paracetamol remains the recommended option for pain or fever in pregnancy, with untreated high temperature posing fetal risks and ibuprofen not advised.
- The work was fast-tracked after presidential warnings against Tylenol use, as WHO and ACOG dispute a causal link and the authors call for higher-quality research and greater investment in women’s health.