Use of paracetamol in pregnancy and autism: Trump

[MidnightPatrol]

Trump is expected to announce later today that there is a link between paracetamol use in pregnancy, and autism.

As with his approach to covid, scientists have reacted with dismay at this development - a major Swedish study published in 2024 looked at 2.48m births and found no link.

A bit of a worrying development in terms of medical misinformation, pregnant women’s access to pain relief, and those with autism (and their parents).

My child is autistic because his dad is autistic because his grandma is autistic.

I’m autistic. I never take painkillers, I doubt I took a single one in any of my four pregnancies. I have ND and NT children. I cannot even think of when I last took paracetamol. Drives my DH mad as I never buy painkillers as it just doesn’t enter my mind!

Google the lawsuit filed vs Johnson & Johnson, it explains there was a meta study that found some correlation not causation between paracetamol and ND but did not recommend any changes in existing guidelines

I didn't take any painkillers in my first pregnancy, not a single paracetamol, and DS is autistic.

I took paracetamol in my second (due to frequent migraines), and DD isn't autistic.

So in my experience the opposite is true. However, just because that's my experience doesn't mean it's a fact. I'm sure DS would have been autistic even if I popped paracetamols like smarties. I guess it's much more complex and nuanced than a simple cause and effect.

He will then sanction the removal of all pain relief from labouring women and girls to punish them during childbirth.

Just wait and see....

We can only assume his mother drank Tango instead.

No idea if there's any truth in it. My son was diagnosed with ASD at 3. We think potentially DH and I might be ND but have got through life without needing any support and are not seeking a diagnosis. DS needs are much greater.
I took paracetamol during pregnancy as I had a back injury - i really didn't want to take it but I did. I also have an autoimmune disease called ITP and had to take steroids (prednisone) for 6-8 weeks of my pregnancy. I often wonder about the impact of taking them. I know that the steroid passed from myself to my son whilst I was pregnant but also after whilst I was breastfeeding. It's something I think about alot. If I could have avoided taking them I would have.

The thing that blows my mind about this is the absolutely enormous lawsuits that will result. This is the class action to end all class actions surely? Maybe the pharma companies will sue the US government for the disinformation. This is going to be nuclear.

@EarthlyNightshade I can't remember and am no longer at that workplace. I remember being very surprised and googling at the time and found there was talk of the possibility of a tenuous link but far from conclusive. Was even more surprised they mentioned it in the lecture after seeing that!

Thanks for responding.

I've found the lawsuit(s) mentioned above, under "tylenol" rather than paracetamol as they are US.

Just further to this, the BBC mentioned the following interesting tidbit about expert testimony in cases of paracetamol allegedly causing autism:

In December 2023, a US federal judge barred expert witnesses from testifying after finding they lacked scientific evidence for their claims.
In August 2024, citing that ruling, the judge dismissed all the cases in federal court. A US appeals court is slated to hear arguments next month in an appeal of that ruling, court records show.

Im willing to bet someone stands to make a lot of money out of lawsuits or insurance if they can “prove” the autism link. Follow the money….

Robert F Kennedy is obsessed with Autisim it is really worry and this new "revelation " is astounding, the world is going to laugh at Trump again and he won't care .

I am so surprised people are not thankful that someone is trying to find out what might contribute to the increased numbers in ND children.

And aren't you glad it isn't vaccines that they are coming back with? That was the presumption, that RFK was just straight out anti-vax

They aren't trying to find anything useful out. Its bad faith actors with their own agendas.

Have vaccines been ruled out now?

Ok, now this need the 😂 reaction

I believe the vast majority of them have also had sex.

I think the pp point about maternal inflammation and autism is going to be the true causative link in the future (the paracetamol being correlated with pain for some autoimmune disorders or inflammation).

anecdata: I can go years without painkillers (think I last took some in 2023) but I have one dc with asd, one without. No painkillers in either pregnancy but I do have autoimmune issues and apparently my body in a state of constant inflammation.

Lots of people are still very sceptical about vaccines and the low uptake rate mean populations in multiple countries (including the UK) are below the levels required for herd immunity.

Only yesterday I saw on here multiple posters advocating that mothers should not get vaccinated in pregnancy - it’s a huge problem, and has emerged ‘grass roots’.

I really am so interested in why you think this.

What has RFK said or done which makes you think he is acting in bad faith?

If I were in America, there is no way I’d risk getting pregnant at the moment!

I don’t think they are trying to find out at all

Literally every word that comes out of his mouth?

He believes autism is caused by vaccines.

Funny that I never took paracetamol or any medication during pregnancy, ate healthy vegetarian food, rested well, took long walks, and my child still has autism. Oh and she exhibited many signs before the MMR.

That's so funny I was going to say the same thing.

I think the last time I took painkillers was 2 years ago when I had kidney stones, before that it was in early labour with my youngest (now 5) at the advise of the midwives. It's honestly not something that ever crosses my mind, I'm surprised people seem to take them so much more often than I realised.

I will say anecdotally my experience of ND people is that I've never met one without a very high pain threshold, could be due to always being in pain I suppose, if you exist at a pain of 4 going up to 6 isn't bad, if you're always at a 0 a 6 must be awful.

Anyway, the paracetmol= ND thing is obviously stupid and untrue. 2 of my children are ND because I am, my brother also is as is a number of our cousins, my Grandfather has never had a diagnosis but is text book autistic. I'm sure if you went back into his family there would be more people with Neurodiverse brains all the way up our family tree.