# Medical group reaffirms Tylenol safety during pregnancy after Trump claims **Published:** 2026-06-04T15:33:26.000Z **Source:** [Nebraska Examiner](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/06/04/repub/new-medical-guidance-affirms-tylenol-safety-during-pregnancy-months-after-trump-sows-doubt/) **AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) **Canonical:** https://lincolne.news/article/medical-group-reaffirms-tylenol-safety-during-pregnancy-after-trump-claims A major national medical organization has affirmed that acetaminophen, commonly known as Tylenol, remains the safest pain and fever reliever for pregnant women, contradicting the Trump administration's statement last year linking the medication to autism. [The Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine published updated clinical guidance this week](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/06/04/repub/new-medical-guidance-affirms-tylenol-safety-during-pregnancy-months-after-trump-sows-doubt/) reaffirming that acetaminophen should be the "first-line" medication for treating pain and fever during pregnancy. The organization, which represents more than 6,500 maternal-fetal medicine specialists and obstetricians, reviewed recent and historical scientific literature in response to the federal government's warnings. The group's statement directly challenges claims made at a White House press conference last September, when President Donald Trump announced that acetaminophen use during pregnancy was likely linked to autism in children. That announcement prompted the FDA to initiate a label change for the medication, though the new label has not yet been implemented. "Although some studies have reported associations between maternal acetaminophen use and adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in offspring, methodological limitations preclude conclusions about causality, and the biological mechanism for such an effect remains unestablished," the society stated in its guidance. The medical organization emphasized that untreated fever during pregnancy carries documented risks to the fetus, particularly in the first trimester, and that acetaminophen remains the safest option compared to alternative pain relievers. NSAIDs such as ibuprofen and aspirin carry well-documented risks to developing fetuses, including fetal kidney damage and increased bleeding, while opioids raise the risk of addiction and withdrawal symptoms in newborns. [Nebraska Medicine in Omaha also recommends acetaminophen](https://www.nebraskamed.com/womens-health/pregnancy-birth/pain-medicine-and-pregnancy-are-aspirin-and-tylenol-safe-to-take-if-youre-pregnant/) as the appropriate choice for pregnant patients needing pain relief for two to three days. The guidance advises using the lowest effective dose for the shortest duration necessary. The Trump administration's September statement had immediate consequences. A study published in The Lancet in March found that emergency department orders for acetaminophen for pregnant patients fell 10% in the months following the president's announcement. Meanwhile, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued Johnson and Johnson in October, alleging the pharmaceutical company failed to warn pregnant consumers about autism risks from Tylenol. The medication manufacturer and leading medical organizations, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, have consistently stated there is no proven causal link between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and autism or other neurodevelopmental disorders. The company described recent claims as "irresponsible" given the potential confusion they create for pregnant patients who may benefit from the medication. ## Sources - [Nebraska Examiner](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/06/04/repub/new-medical-guidance-affirms-tylenol-safety-during-pregnancy-months-after-trump-sows-doubt/) - [Nebraska Medicine guidance on pain relief medications during pregnancy](https://www.nebraskamed.com/womens-health/pregnancy-birth/pain-medicine-and-pregnancy-are-aspirin-and-tylenol-safe-to-take-if-youre-pregnant/) - [The Lancet study on acetaminophen orders following Trump's announcement](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)00243-6/fulltext) --- This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from Nebraska Examiner, enriched with 3 web searches. The original source is available at https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/06/04/repub/new-medical-guidance-affirms-tylenol-safety-during-pregnancy-months-after-trump-sows-doubt/.