PreventAutism.org
Category 1
Pre- and Post- Natal Associations
The prenatal (pregnancy) and postnatal (after birth) periods of time are when the human brain develops most rapidly, and when direct associations between acetaminophen use and autism are most clear.
The lines of evidence related to pre- and post-natal associations make up 16.7% of the total evidence.
01
Use of acetaminophen during pregnancy is connected to negative long-term effects
Use of acetaminophen during pregnancy is associated with lower IQ, autism, and ADHD in children
02
Levels of acetaminophen in cord blood are associated with autism
Higher levels of acetaminophen in the baby's umbilical cord at the time of birth are strongly associated with autism
03
Acetaminophen use during early childhood is connected to 20-times more regressive autism
Children exposed to acetaminophen in early childhood are much more likely to have regressive autism (associated with loss of developmental milestones) than children who are not
04
Babies with acetaminophen exposure after birth were found to be 30% more likely to have autism
A study of the Danish National Birth Cohort found an odds ratio (OR) of 1.3 for autism associated with postnatal acetaminophen exposure
*Correlation doesn’t necessarily prove causation, but correlation is necessary for causation to exist. Multiple correlations with numerous other lines of evidence can be conclusive.