Overview

• A Mount Sinai–led review of 46 observational studies covering more than 100,000 participants reports associations between prenatal acetaminophen exposure and increased risks of autism and ADHD.
• The analysis is the first in this field to apply the Navigation Guide framework, which found that higher-quality studies were more likely to detect these links.
• Authors recommend using the lowest effective dose for the shortest possible time during pregnancy under clinician supervision.
• Proposed biological pathways include placental transfer with potential effects such as oxidative stress, hormonal disruption, and epigenetic changes that could influence fetal brain development.
• The evidence remains observational and does not prove causation, and pregnant patients are advised not to stop medications without consulting their doctors.