LEBANON, N.H. (MyKeeneNow) Dartmouth Health is urging pregnant women to continue using acetaminophen (Tylenol) when medically necessary, after President Donald Trump this week announced that his administration had found a link between the drug’s use during pregnancy and autism in children.

Trump made the statement Monday, Sept. 22, but did not cite any new research. For decades, Tylenol has been the preferred option for managing pain and fever in pregnant women, in part because alternatives such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve) can pose risks to the developing fetus.

In a statement released Tuesday, Dartmouth Health said the “highest quality studies have failed to conclude that taking Tylenol at any stage of pregnancy causes autism, or any other form of neurodiversity or intellectual disability.”

The health system emphasized that fever itself is a serious health risk for both mothers and babies, and acetaminophen remains the safest over-the-counter choice for lowering temperature and preventing complications.

“Providers in maternal fetal medicine at Dartmouth Health, and in pediatrics at Dartmouth Health Children’s, will continue to recommend the use of Tylenol as needed to pregnant women,” the statement read.

The organization also criticized oversimplifying the causes of autism or spreading unsupported claims, saying such messages can harm families affected by the condition.

Dartmouth Health said it will continue to follow the guidance of national medical groups, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Academy of Pediatrics.