Videos of pregnant women taking Tylenol go viral after Trump linked drug use to autism in children 

Several videos of pregnant women taking Tylenol after US President Donald Trump suggested a link between the medication and autism in children went viral on social media. For the uninformed, Trump stated that the use of Tylenol during pregnancy could lead to a “very increased risk of autism" during a press conference on September 22, 2025. Tylenol, the brand name for paracetamol or acetaminophen, is a non-opioid drug used to treat fevers and pain.

According to AP News, Trump's claims linking Tylenol usage during pregnancy to autism in children were made without scientific proof backing the claim. Additionally, multiple experts state that the connection linking Tylenol to autism in children seems unfounded.

During the news conference on Monday, Trump urged pregnant women to reduce the use of Tylenol during pregnancy, asking them to "tough it out" and "fight like hell not to take it."

“They are strongly recommending that women limit Tylenol use during pregnancy unless medically necessary," he said.

Following this, multiple videos of pregnant women taking Tylenol in seeming deference to Trump's advice were circulated on TikTok. One of the videos was captioned:

"Here is me, a PREGNANT woman, taking TYLENOL, because I believe in science and not someone who has no medical background."

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Tylenol maker "strongly disagrees" on a connection between Tylenol and autism

In the news conference on September 22, US President Donald Trump stated that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will reportedly notify doctors about the link between Tylenol and rising cases of autism in children. Additionally, the president also spoke about the supposed connection between vaccines and autism, which also remains unfounded, as reported by CNN.

He thanked US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for bringing autism to the “forefront of American politics, along with me,” suggesting that he and Kennedy had more understanding about the subject matter than "a lot of people who studied it."

Meanwhile, Kennedy added that the HHS will launch a public service campaign to raise awareness about the increased risk of autism in children due to mothers taking Tylenol during pregnancy. He added that physicians will be encouraged to prescribe Tylenol in low doses with “their shortest necessary duration and only when treatment is required.”

According to CNN, Kenvue, Tylenol's manufacturer, released a statement addressing Trump's recent press conference about a supposed link between Tylenol and autism in children. On September 22, 2025, the company stated that it “strongly disagrees” that Tylenol causes autism, adding:

“Acetaminophen is the safest pain reliever option for pregnant women as needed throughout their entire pregnancy. Without it, women face dangerous choices: suffer through conditions like fever that are potentially harmful to both mom and baby or use riskier alternatives. High fevers and pain are widely recognized as potential risks to a pregnancy if left untreated.”

According to the BBC, Tylenol remains the only drug that can be safely taken by expectant mothers during pregnancy to treat fevers and mild pain. Medical experts added that an untreated fever can cause more complications for both the mother and the fetus.

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Experts dub Trump's recent statement as "irresponsible" and "deeply concerning"

Several medical experts have shared their opinions regarding the president's recent press conference linking Tylenol usage to autism. Dr. Susan Kressly, the president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, stated that Trump's statement shared "dangerous claims and misleading information that sends a confusing message to parents."

In a statement to CNN, Dr. Veronica Gillispie-Bell, vice chair of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists’ Clinical Practice Guidelines Committee on Obstetrics, said the announcement put physicians in a "difficult predicament" as science stated that Tylenol was safe, while the FDA was saying otherwise.

Dr. Steven J. Fleischman, the president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, called out Trump and his administration for their message regarding a link between Tylenol and autism, adding that the suggestion was “irresponsible when considering the harmful and confusing message they send to pregnant patients.”

Donald Trump suggested a link between Tylenol usage and autism (Image via Getty)

Meanwhile, Alison Singer, the president of Autism Science Foundation, said she was "deeply concerned" by Trump's recent rhetoric about Tylenol and autism, continuing that there have been "no new data or scientific studies" as evidence to prove the claim.

“We are unsure why this announcement came today and how the conclusions were drawn. No new data or scientific studies were presented or shared. No new studies have been published in the literature. No new presentations on this topic were made at scientific or medical conferences," she said.

Singer said the message reminded her of when people blamed mothers for their child's autism, continuing:

"Instead, President Trump talked about what he thinks and feels without offering scientific evidence. He said ‘tough it out,’ meaning don’t take Tylenol or give it to your child. It took me straight back to when moms were blamed for autism. If you can’t take the pain or deal with a fever, then it’s your fault if your child has autism. That was shocking. Simply shocking.”

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According to a May 2025 report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), autism is on a sharp rise in the US, with 1 in 31 children aged eight being diagnosed with the autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Edited by Juhi Marzia