South African Doctors Dismiss Autism Fears Linked to Paracetamol Use in Pregnancy

Local experts set the record straight on a global health scare

A recent wave of headlines claiming that paracetamol use during pregnancy may cause autism has left many expectant mothers unsettled. But South African medical experts say there is no cause for alarm.

The South African Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (SASOG), the Society of Obstetric Medicine South Africa (SOOMSA), and the South African Society for Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynaecology (SASUOG) have jointly confirmed that paracetamol remains safe and effective when taken at recommended doses during pregnancy.

Their statement, released through the Alkemi Collective, comes as a direct response to concerns raised by international studies and sensational media coverage.

Why the scare gained traction

The anxiety began after a handful of early observational studies suggested a small link between prenatal paracetamol use and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). But those studies had a problem: they didn’t properly account for other influencing factors such as genetics, family history, and even parents’ recollection of medication use.

Later, more rigorous researchincluding large Swedish population studiesshowed that when these confounding factors were corrected, the supposed link disappeared. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses have since backed this up, concluding that correlation was mistaken for causation.

The risks of leaving symptoms untreated

The doctors stressed that avoiding paracetamol altogether could actually put mothers and babies at greater risk. Fever in pregnancy is far from harmless. It has been linked to miscarriage, congenital malformations like neural tube defects, and even stillbirth.

Untreated pain is also no minor issue. It can have serious knock-on effects on maternal mental health, which in turn affects fetal development.

That’s why local obstetricians maintain that paracetamol remains the safest first-line treatment for fever and pain in pregnancy, with no better alternative available.

Reassurance for South African mothers

In South Africa, where access to safe and affordable medication is already a challenge for many, health experts are calling for calm. “There is no reliable evidence that paracetamol use in pregnancy causes ASD. Apparent associations are explained by confounding, not causation,” the collective emphasised.

Social media, however, has been buzzing with uncertainty. Some users shared fears about “hidden dangers” in everyday medicines, while others criticised the spread of what they called “junk science.” For many South African mothers-to-be, the reassurance from trusted medical societies comes as a welcome relief.

Pregnancy is already a time of heightened anxiety, and misinformation can add unnecessary stress. South African doctors are clear: paracetamol, at normal therapeutic doses, is safe in pregnancy and should not be withheld out of fear of autism.

With global studies backing their stance, local health professionals are urging expectant mothers to focus on proper care, rather than unsubstantiated claims.

{Source: IOL}

Follow Joburg ETC on Facebook, Twitter , TikTok and Instagram

For more News in Johannesburg, visit joburgetc.com