Blaming Pregnant People Isn’t the Answer: Tylenol, Autism, and Perinatal Mental Health
Blaming Pregnant People Isn’t the Answer
Let’s get something straight: blaming Tylenol and vaccines for autism is not the mic drop moment some people think it is. Pregnant women and people are expected to white knuckle many significant and sometimes debilitating pregnancy symptoms with little validation, empathy, and relief. Blaming pregnant people for causing autism by taking acetaminophen, without rigorous scientific data, is harmful, lazy, and puts even more pressure on pregnant people who already get the bare minimum of care for their pain and discomfort.
A Quick Reality Check
I am not here to debate why this declaration is not based on real science. I will let my colleagues at the American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American Psychological Association, and American Medical Association handle the medical comings and goings. Please, get your information from qualified sources like the above-mentioned organizations instead of social media hot takes.
Given the recent and unfortunate hyperpartisan leadership at the CDC and FDA, it is not a bad idea to double check the information you may be getting from there with your trusted providers and get a truly individualized response to your unique situation.
Why Mental Health Matters Just as Much as Physical Health
I am not here to tell you how to live your life. But I do feel like it is my responsibility as a certified perinatal mental health therapist to add some nuance into this conversation and talk about the mental health impacts of this narrative.
According to Postpartum Support International, 1 in 5 women experience a perinatal mood or anxiety disorder and 1 in 10 dads do too. Imagine being in a room full of new parents and realizing that one out of every five is silently struggling. It is not rare, it is the reality for far too many families.
Mental health and physical health have long been treated as separate entities. However, we are learning more and more that mental health is deeply connected to physical health. Suicide accounts for 5 to 20 percent of maternal deaths, making it one of the leading causes of maternal mortality in the United States (Davis et al., 2019). Trying to navigate the balance between mental and physical health should be where nuance exists in spades, and it is the shared job of a person and their healthcare team.
Pregnancy Already Offers Almost No Relief
Pregnancy is not a medically neutral event despite how it may be presented online. Pregnancy is a significant transformation, physically and mentally, that often triggers aches, pains, and mental health symptoms.
When you are pregnant, the list of medications you are allowed to take is heartbreakingly short. This can leave pregnant people feeling like their pain does not matter, only the end result: a healthy baby.
Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is one of the very few pain relievers considered safe for headaches, migraines (which, if you have ever had one, you know is brutal), and fevers. So when top leaders float the idea that Tylenol is the “cause of autism” without credible science to back it up, it does more than spread bad science, it scares parents away from one of the only safe tools they have.
And it sends the message that pregnant people should just tough it out and suffer in silence.
The Real Risk: Doing Nothing
Are some medications and procedures risky during pregnancy? Yes.
Are there some that carry risks but are still worth it because they protect the health of the pregnant person and baby? Yes.
Can avoiding treatment altogether sometimes be more dangerous than taking action? Absolutely yes.
One clear example from my work as a perinatal therapist is SSRI use in pregnancy. SSRIs are not entirely risk free for a developing fetus or breastfeeding baby, but untreated depression and anxiety can lead to preterm birth, severe complications, or even death (Malm et al., 2015; Jahan et al., 2021). Doing nothing can be just as life threatening as doing something.
This is why medical decisions should be made thoughtfully, collaboratively, and based on actual evidence, not fear driven clickbait.
The Bigger Picture: Where the Real Blame Belongs
This whole Tylenol and autism narrative conveniently shifts focus away from the real threats to maternal and fetal health.
If the government actually cared about kids’ health, it would be working to:
Limit PFAS chemicals in our drinking water (AP News, 2024)
Improve air quality (Atmospheric Pollution Research, 2024)
Expand and stabilize access to programs like Medicaid and food stamps so families can get care and proper nutrition (JAMA Health Forum, 2018)
Unfortunately, many of these measures have been rolled back while leaders claim to be making our country healthier. These policy choices have a much bigger impact on our health, collectively and individually, than a single pain medication.
We Deserve Better
Pregnant people already feel enough pressure to be perfect. Piling on fear that every choice might harm their child is cruel and counterproductive.
Could we use more research to make pregnancy safer and more comfortable? Absolutely.
Is our current system set up to truly support the health of all of us? Not even close.
But pretending we do not have safe options now, under the care and knowledge of a qualified treatment team, is reckless. It puts the burden back on pregnant people to suffer instead of demanding systemic change.
Nuance matters. We can work for a healthier future AND we can still make decisions today based on the best science we have. That is what it means to care for both ourselves and our communities.
If you are looking for more support navigating perinatal or postpartum stressors, please reach out for a free consultation today.
References
AP News. (2024). EPA limits on PFAS “forever chemicals” in drinking water.
Atmospheric Pollution Research. (2024). Ambient air pollution and children’s health: An umbrella review, 15(6), 102108. https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/atmospheric-pollution-research
Davis, N. L., et al. (2019). Pregnancy-Related Deaths: Data from 14 U.S. Maternal Mortality Review Committees, 2008–2017. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Jahan, N., et al. (2021). Antidepressant use during pregnancy and the risk of preterm birth: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 138, 131–139.
Malm, H., Sourander, A., Gissler, M., et al. (2015). Pregnancy complications following prenatal exposure to SSRIs or maternal psychiatric disorders: results from population-based national register data. American Journal of Psychiatry, 172(12), 1224–1232.
Postpartum Support International (PSI). (2024). Perinatal Mental Health Statistics. https://www.postpartum.net