No link between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and adverse birth outcomes, study finds - UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health
MENU
No link between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and adverse birth outcomes, study finds
News and Events
News Feed
Events Calendar
Our Resources
The Pivot: Meet the Gillings Community
Carolina Public Health Magazine
Front Lines Newsletter
July 10, 2026
There is no statistically significant evidence that taking acetaminophen, also known as Tylenol, during pregnancy has a negative impact on how early a child is born or a child’s weight at birth, according to new research led by environmental scientists at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health.
A new study, published recently in the American Journal of Epidemiology, looked at a large group of pregnancies in the United States in a National Institutes of Health (NIH) program and found that acetaminophen use during pregnancy did not have a significant impact on gestational age (how early a child is born) or average birth weight. Interestingly, when birth weight accounted for when the child was delivered — classified by being small-for-gestational-age (SGA) or large-for-gestational-age (LGA) — the study did find an association between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and lower odds of a child being born large for their gestational age.
Dr. Rebecca Fry
“Given the widespread use of acetaminophen, these findings offer important reassurance about its safety with respect to birth timing and infant size,” said senior author Rebecca Fry, PhD, the Carol Remmer Angle Distinguished Professor and chair of environmental sciences and engineering.
Acetaminophen is widely used during pregnancy to treat pain and fever. It is one of the few over-the-counter pain-relieving medications approved for use during pregnancy, but recent research has shown mixed results about whether it may affect fetal development or impact birth size and timing. The study aimed to add more evidence to this discussion by directly examining the associations between acetaminophen use and birth health.
The research team, led by Fry and first author Katelyn Huff, PhD, postdoctoral researcher at the Gillings School, studied more than 8,900 mother-infant pairs enrolled in the NIH’s Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) program. The study analyzed the relationship between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and four important indicators of child health at birth: (1) preterm birth, (2) birth weight, (3) SGA size and (4) LGA size.
Around 59% of mothers in the ECHO study reported using acetaminophen during their pregnancy. Following analysis, the researchers found that prenatal acetaminophen use was associated with lower odds of LGA. They found no association with preterm birth, birth weight or SGA.
The results offer reassurance for pregnant people who use acetaminophen as directed, though the authors note that more research is still needed on dosing, timing and other possible health effects. While typical acetaminophen use during pregnancy did not appear to raise birth risks in this study, it is still important to talk with your doctor about use of acetaminophen, as well as any other medication, during pregnancy.
Read the full study online.
Contact the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health communications team at sphcomm@unc.edu.
RELATED PAGES
News and Events Submission Form
Use this form to submit news, events and announcements to be shared via our newsletter and digital screens.
Gillings School Visual Elements
View and download the visual elements associated with the Gillings School.
Gillings PowerPoint Templates
For the use of our faculty, staff and students, the School offers the following PowerPoint template, which can be modified as needed.
Profile Form
This form allows faculty and staff to create a new web profile or update a current one.
Web Form
This form enables Gillings School representatives to submit requests for website edits.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Visit our communications and marketing team page.
Contact sphcomm@unc.edu with any media inquiries or general questions.
Communications and Marketing Office
125 Rosenau Hall
CB #7400
135 Dauer Drive
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7400
Latest News
In memory of Edwin B. Fisher, peer support champion and public health advocate
READ
July 16, 2026<br>The Gillings School is saddened at the passing of Dr. Edwin B. Fisher, former chair of the Department of Health Behavior, pivotal public health researcher, and longtime advocate for mental and public health. Fisher died on June 29 after a years-long battle with cancer.
2 Gillings-led faculty teams win TIIP Awards for community-centered innovation
No link between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and adverse birth outcomes, study finds
A healthy diet during pregnancy associated with lower exposure to some—but not all—chemicals, NIH study finds
Innovation grants will catalyze development of new public...