Addressing the current conversation around Tylenol

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Colgate chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

President Donald Trump wants women to “tough it out” during pregnancy.  Here’s what he had to say about it. 

“Tylenol during pregnancy can be associated with a very increased risk of autism. So taking Tylenol is not good. All right. I’ll say it. It’s not good. For this reason, they are strongly recommending that women limit Tylenol use during pregnancy unless medically necessary. That’s for instance, in cases of extremely high fever, that you feel you can’t tough it out. You can’t do it. I guess there’s that.”

On September 22, 2025, President Donald Trump stood beside Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in the Roosevelt Room and made his so-called “historic” announcement about autism. 

Let’s debunk this myth and the attempt to control women’s healthcare, yet again. Donald Trump has no medical degree nor experience being pregnant, but that didn’t stop him from imposing his radical health views on the rest of the country. He’s done this in the past— recalling when Trump vouched for injecting disinfectants into ourselves to prevent COVID-19. In that instance, healthcare companies had to urgently dispute this notion. Similarly, he is now facing major backlash from doctors and health organizations. 

Steven Fleishman, President of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, claimed that Trump’s remarks were irresponsible and harmful to pregnant patients, who are receiving confusing and conflicting information. Tylenol happens to be one of the most commonly recommended medications for pregnant women to relieve discomfort and fever. There have been inconclusive potential associations between Tylenol during pregnancy and developmental conditions, but there have been no causal links found. There are many causes of autism and ADHD, many of which are still being investigated. Some causes include genetic, biological, and environmental influences, but there is no conclusive evidence that these medications during pregnancy can cause children to have autism. However, there is scientific evidence that an untreated fever during pregnancy poses risks for both the child and parent.

When the President of the United States tells pregnant women to just “tough it out”, it’s not just bad medical advice; it’s a symptom of something bigger. This exposes how misunderstood and ignored women’s pain and healthcare are, how misogyny continues to shape the nation’s leadership, and how women are not vouched for enough in the healthcare world. Whether it’s abortion rights or basic healthcare decisions, women are treated like public property— their choices up for debate by men in positions of power. Shifting blame onto mothers is a historically common and damaging theme in our country/society.

All in all, Tylenol does not cause harm in this instance, but the spread of misinformation does. Thus, we must be skeptical of the information we are receiving from our politicians, especially as it pertains to women’s health and safety.