At the end of September, when President Trump stated Taking Tylenol during pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of autism in children, Dr. Shakila Thangaratinam knew she had to act.
Acetaminophen, a drug sold as Tylenol, is the first-line treatment for fever in pregnant women, and alternatives the obstetrician and University of Liverpool professor knew could be dangerous. Taking the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug ibuprofen, sold as Advil, interferes with fetal cardiovascular development. On the other hand, allowing a fever to rage unchecked means exposing the fetus to harmful substances produced by the mother in the process of fighting infection.
But she knew health care providers would likely be inundated with questions: “Many professional organizations responded to the US statement by saying, 'If you're concerned, talk to your health care provider,'” says Thangaratinam.
Recognizing that doctors would need clear, evidence-based recommendations to reassure worried patients, Thangaratinam and her colleagues conducted a comprehensive review of the existing research they currently had available. published V British Medical Journal.
They found that many of the studies showing a link between acetaminophen, autism and ADHD poorly controlled for the fact that these diagnoses often run in families. When several more carefully designed studies included siblings of diagnosed children, the association weakened substantially.
In particular, Thangaratinam identifies two Scandinavian research And Japanese studyin which there were a large number of families. In these studies, researchers compared pairs of siblings in which one child was exposed to acetaminophen in utero and the other was not.
Read more: Does Tylenol cause autism? RFK Jr. is making America ask the wrong question.
“What we have found is constantly [these studies]”The association that was initially present disappeared when the siblings were followed up,” she says. There was no difference in diagnosis rates between these siblings, despite their different experiences during pregnancy.
Compiling the survey reinforced Thangaratinam's view that in many cases pregnant women lack quality information to make informed decisions. Pregnant women have traditionally been excluded from drug trials, so little is known about the effects of many common drugs on pregnancy. She called it “one of the most important messages that needs to be emphasized in women's health”: More research into treating pregnant women will lead to better outcomes.
