Description

Episode 7 - Tylenol in Pregnancy
Hosts: Malia & Ashley
Special Guest: Dr. Megan Lobel, MD – Maternal-Fetal Medicine Fellow, UCSF

Episode Summary

In this episode of the Rhode to Pregnancy podcast, Malia and Ashley sit down with Dr. Megan Lobel to talk about the safety of Tylenol during pregnancy. Recently, some government statements and social media posts claimed that Tylenol in pregnancy can cause autism, which has scared a lot of people. Dr. Lobel explains why the best scientific studies do not support this and why Tylenol is still considered safe to use for pain or fever when pregnant. She also breaks down where the misinformation came from, what major medical groups like the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) say, and why untreated fever or pain can be harmful in pregnancy. The goal of this episode is to help listeners feel informed, calm, and confident when making decisions about their health.

Key Topics Covered 

• What Tylenol is and how it works
• What strong scientific evidence shows about Tylenol use in pregnancy
• Why recent claims linking Tylenol to autism are flawed
• The 2017 Tylenol tweet and why it resurfaced
• How misinformation spreads and why it’s harmful
• What ACOG and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) recommend
• Safe dosing and when Tylenol should be avoided
• Risks of not treating pain or fever during pregnancy
• Other pain relief options
• How to talk through fears about autism claims

Important Links & Sources

• Dr. Megan Lobel’s Op-Ed: San Francisco Chronicle – “Tylenol is safe to take during pregnancy. The White House got it wrong.”
• ACOG Practice Guidelines – Analgesia & Fever Management in Pregnancy
• Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM)– Statement on Acetaminophen Safety

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