Within days of an announcement from President Donald Trump that using acetaminophen, often sold under the brand name Tylenol, during pregnancy could cause autism, local pediatricians began urging their patients to continue using the drug as needed.
Partners in Pediatrics, a Montgomery-based clinic with a Prattville satellite office, posted a notice to followers on Facebook on Tuesday warning patients that “science should guide children’s health, not politics.”
“Tylenol has not been proven to cause autism,” the clinic wrote. “The current evidence does not support this claim.”
The clinic also emphasized the safety of vaccines, which have been under attack by the administration and have long been claimed by anti-vaxxers to be the cause of autism. Trump said Monday that giving vaccines separately could reduce the rate of autism, which has climbed to one in 31 children, according to a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“At Partners in Pediatrics, we rely on peer-reviewed research and trusted medical expertise, not headlines or political debate.”
OB-GYN Associates of Montgomery took a similar approach, releasing a statement Wednesday cautioning that untreated fever during pregnancy is as dangerous or more dangerous than taking Tylenol.
“We support limited, careful use of Tylenol during pregnancy,” the clinic wrote. “If Tylenol is needed, use the lowest effective dose for the shortest time possible. Untreated fever or pain can also cause risks for both mom and baby. Balancing the benefits and risk is important.”
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists continues to support the use of Tylenol during pregnancy when no safe alternative exists.
“Suggestions that acetaminophen use in pregnancy causes autism are not only highly concerning to clinicians but also irresponsible when considering the harmful and confusing message they send to pregnant patients, including those who may need to rely on this beneficial medicine during pregnancy,” said Steven J. Fleischman, president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. “In more than two decades of research on the use of acetaminophen in pregnancy, not a single reputable study has successfully concluded that the use of acetaminophen in any trimester of pregnancy causes neurodevelopmental disorders in children.”
A spokesperson for the Alabama chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics told APR the state is in support of the national organization’s stance on the issue.
The AAP condemned the announcement from Trump as “dangerous claims.”
“(Monday’s) White House event on autism was filled with dangerous claims and misleading information that sends a confusing message to parents and expecting parents and does a disservice to autistic individuals,” said AAP President Susan J. Kressly. “Pediatricians know firsthand that children’s immune systems perform better after vaccination against serious, contagious diseases like polio, measles, whooping cough and Hepatitis B. Spacing out or delaying vaccines means children will not have immunity against these diseases at times when they are most at risk.”
The FDA also initiated the approval of leucovorin calcium tablets for patients with cerebral folate deficiency (CFD), a neurological condition that affects folate transport into the brain. Individuals with CFD may have symptoms such as developmental delays and autism.
While some early studies show leucovorin has improved verbal communication for some folate-deficient children, the AAP said it is experimental and needs to be evaluated in larger trials to understand how well it works and who may benefit.
“There is no single, root cause of autism, and there is no single medication that will give every autistic child or adult what they need,” Kressly said. “Individualized plans, often involving a combination of developmental, behavioral, educational and social-relational strategies, can help improve outcomes that are meaningful to individuals and families. We also need and welcome additional investments in federally funded research to better support families of autistic children.”
