By Peter A. McCullough, MD, MPH
Recent studies indicate that 50–65% of pregnant women in North America and Europe report using acetaminophen (the active ingredient in Tylenol) at least once during pregnancy.
* Bandoli et al, 2019 in the MotherToBaby pregnancy cohort (2004–2018) reported that 62% of 2,441 pregnant women used acetaminophen during pregnancy, with a slight decline over time (from 70% in 2009–2010 to 58% in 2017–2018).
* A 2024 study from the Illinois Kids Development Study noted that 50–65% of pregnant women in North America and Europe take acetaminophen or medications containing it during pregnancy.
* Sznajder, et al, 2022 used data from the First Baby Study in Pennsylvania and found that 41.7% of 2,423 mothers reported acetaminophen use during pregnancy, though this may be an underestimate due to self-reporting limitations and data collection only up to the third trimester.
All of the currently recommended vaccines for pregnant women list fever and pain as expected side effects to which mothers would respond by taking Tylenol in order to control symptoms and reduce the chances precipitating fetal loss or premature delivery.
Perry et al, reported a study of 737 pregnant women receiving the TDaP vaccine, fever was listed among reported reactions, though not quantified separately; overall, 67% experienced at least one reaction (e.g., pain, swelling, fever, or body aches).
Rodriguez-Blanco et al published survey results from 421 vaccinated pregnant women in whom 8.6% reported side effects overall after influenza vaccination, but fever was not explicitly quantified; reported issues included cold-like symptoms without fever (about 4% of total vaccinated) and injection-site pain (about 2.9%).
In 2015 the FDA put out a warning about antipyretics and analgesics during pregnancy and cited the ADHD acetaminophen association. So was RFK and Makary really telling America anything new about acetaminophen during pregnancy?
So can acetaminophen be the cause of neuropsychiatric disorders including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) an autism? Dr. McCullough told Rob Finnerty on NewsMax that the clinical indication for the use of Tylenol, specifically maternal vaccination, and probably not the Tylenol itself is the proximal risk factor for neuropsychiatric sequelae in babies.
Please subscribe to FOCAL POINTS as a paying ($5 monthly) or founder member so we can continue to bring you the truth.
Peter A. McCullough, MD, MPH
President, McCullough Foundation
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
Cardiac Cowboys
The heart was always off-limits to surgeons. Cutting into it spelled instant death for the patient. That is, until a ragtag group of doctors scattered across the Midwest and Texas decided to throw out the rule book. Working in makeshift laboratories and home garages, using medical devices made from scavenged machine parts and beer tubes, these men and women invented the field of open heart surgery. Odds are, someone you know is alive because of them. So why has history left them behind? Presented by Chris Pine, CARDIAC COWBOYS tells the gripping true story behind the birth of heart surgery, and the young, Greatest Generation doctors who made it happen. For years, they competed and feuded, racing to be the first, the best, and the most prolific. Some appeared on the cover of Time Magazine, operated on kings and advised presidents. Others ended up disgraced, penniless, and convicted of felonies. Together, they ignited a revolution in medicine, and changed the world.