NEW ORLEANS — After decades of studies, there is still no clear answer to what causes autism, but it is clear that autism is the result of genetic, physical and environmental factors that affect brain development.
Lately, you may be hearing about a common medication that could raise the risk of autism.
You may have seen the TV commercials from lawyers saying if you have a child with autism and took Tylenol, or other products with acetaminophen during pregnancy, you may be able to get money from a lawsuit. So, we asked medical experts about the science, and if there is there a link between the two.
LSU Health’s Dr. Tabitha Quebedeaux has a medical degree in obstetrics, gynecology, and maternal fetal medicine, and a Ph.D in neuroscience, or brain science.
She explains that the data linking an autism risk to taking acetaminophen during pregnancy, are from observational studies, not ones that take into account other possible risk factors that could cause autism.
“So, the studies that they're referencing, don't control for that, and so you really can not say that there's a causal link of taking Tylenol and causing autism in our kids,” said Dr. Tabitha Quebedeaux, LSUHSC Assistant Clinical Professor in the OB-GYN Department.
Epidemiologists, like Tulane's Dr. Emily Harville, investigate public health patterns, and causes of disease and injury, and she agrees. Observational studies are not as strong as controlled ones.
“It's not something that's very well measured, like it's not something people remember very well. It's not prescribed, right? So, we don't have that kind of record. So, at this point, the data are just really unclear,” said Tulane Epidemiologist Dr. Emily Harville.
“A lot of times when moms have an outcome for their baby, which is not what they wanted, or they're very sad about, they often times try to think back to what they've done, and that leads to moms thinking sometimes something like Tylenol could have caused it, but the data doesn't support that. And I don't want my moms to feel that way,” said Dr. Quebedeaux.
So, here's what Dr. Quebedeaux recommends.
“I still say Tylenol is safe in pregnancy in the smallest dose possible, for the shortest period of time. Fever in pregnancy that can actually cause more harm for the baby. So, I want them to take Tylenol,” said Dr. Quebedeaux.
She says to avoid other pain relievers like ibuprofen and Excedrin. They're known for potential harm to the baby. Use only low-dose aspirin of 81 milligrams, when recommended by your obstetrician to prevent preeclampsia.
A normal dose of Tylenol is 325-500 milligrams per tablet, every 8 hours, during any trimester. A fever of 100.4 or higher for more than four hours should be brought down, because long term, it can cause problems in the pregnancy, and preterm birth can cause health problems for the baby.
Acetaminophen is not only in Tylenol, it's also in other over-the-counter and prescription medications like Nyquil, Dayquil, Percocet, and Vicodin. Alka-Seltzer Plus, Mucinex, Robitussin, and Goody's. So, read labels and always check with your doctor before taking anything.
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