Can I take paracetamol while pregnant?
Paracetamol (acetaminophen) Generally OK
Yes. Paracetamol is the first-choice painkiller for pain and fever at every stage of pregnancy. The NHS, the UK medicines-in-pregnancy service (UKTIS) and the European Medicines Agency all recommend it. Take the lowest dose that works, for the shortest time you need it, and bring a fever down rather than waiting it out. Ask your doctor or midwife if you need paracetamol for more than a few days.
Paracetamol is sold as acetaminophen in the US, where Tylenol is the best-known brand. It is the most studied painkiller in pregnancy, and UKTIS, the UK service that reviews medicines in pregnancy, finds no good evidence that it harms the baby. This page covers how to use it, why a fever needs treating, which combination tablets to check, and where the 2025 autism debate stands.
Why paracetamol is the first choice
UKTIS calls paracetamol the medicine of choice for mild to moderate pain throughout pregnancy, and the NHS describes it as commonly taken in pregnancy with no harm to the baby. Germany's Embryotox, the Charité's pregnancy medicines service, rates it a drug of choice in every phase of pregnancy.
The alternatives look worse by comparison. Ibuprofen and other NSAIDs are not advised unless a doctor recommends them and are avoided from 20 weeks. Aspirin is not advised as a painkiller unless prescribed. Codeine is for a doctor to prescribe when other options have failed. Even the US FDA, in its 2025 notice to doctors, called paracetamol the safest over-the-counter painkiller and fever medicine in pregnancy, and said aspirin and ibuprofen have well-documented harmful effects on the fetus.
After you take it, nothing extra needs to happen. UKTIS says no additional scans or tests are needed after paracetamol use in pregnancy.
How to take it in pregnancy
The UK regulator, the MHRA, and the European Medicines Agency phrase their advice the same way: use paracetamol at the lowest effective dose, for the shortest possible time. The EMA adds "as infrequently as possible". This page gives no dose figures. The adult dose on the packet is the ceiling, and a pharmacist can confirm it for the product you have.
Fine to do
- Take plain paracetamol for a headache, back pain, toothache or aches with a cold
- Take it to bring down a fever, and call about the fever the same day
- Stop once the pain eases; use it when you need it, not by the clock "just in case"
- Try rest, fluids, regular meals and a warm or cold pack alongside it
Avoid
- Going over the adult dose on the packet, or taking doses closer together than it says
- Two products that both contain paracetamol, such as tablets plus a cold and flu powder
- Daily use for days or weeks without talking to your doctor or midwife
- Switching to ibuprofen or aspirin when paracetamol is not enough; ask your doctor instead
If paracetamol does not control the pain, UKTIS advises asking your doctor before taking anything else. Pain that keeps coming back needs a cause found, and some causes, such as a headache with changes in your vision, need checking that day.
Fever in pregnancy: treat it, then call
Bring a fever down rather than riding it out. The MHRA warns that untreated pain and fever can pose risks to the unborn baby, and UKTIS notes that treating a high temperature in early pregnancy may lower the chance of a neural tube defect such as spina bifida.
The NHS counts 38 °C or above as a high temperature. In pregnancy, a temperature that high is also a reason to call your doctor, midwife or maternity unit the same day. Paracetamol lowers the number; it does not treat a urine infection, flu or anything else behind it, and some of those need treatment quickly in pregnancy.
For a mild temperature below that line, the advice differs by country. The FDA's 2025 notice told US doctors that most short-term fevers in pregnancy do not need medicine and asked them to consider minimising paracetamol for routine low-grade fevers. UK and EU advice is to use it when pain or fever needs treating. Either way, you decide with your doctor or midwife; a fever is never a reason to switch to ibuprofen.
Combination products: read the box
Many cold, flu and headache products combine paracetamol with a second medicine, and that second ingredient has its own advice in pregnancy.
| Paracetamol combined with | What to know in pregnancy |
|---|---|
| Caffeine | Counts towards your daily caffeine, which has a limit in pregnancy. Our coffee page explains the limit and how fast it adds up. |
| Codeine (co-codamol) | Only if a doctor prescribes it. Codeine taken near the birth can cause breathing problems and withdrawal symptoms in the newborn. |
| Decongestants (pseudoephedrine, phenylephrine) | Avoid. Many cold and flu remedies contain one. |
| Aspirin | Not advised as a painkiller unless prescribed, especially from 20 weeks. Some headache tablets combine aspirin, paracetamol and caffeine. |
Plain paracetamol avoids all four questions. If you want a cold remedy, ask the pharmacist for one without a decongestant, and remember that a blocked nose in pregnancy is often caused by pregnancy itself.
Paracetamol and autism: where the evidence stands
On 22 September 2025 the US Food and Drug Administration began the process of adding a possible link with autism and ADHD to paracetamol's label. In the same statement it said that a causal relationship has not been established and that there are contrary studies in the scientific literature. A notice to doctors issued the same day asked them to consider minimising paracetamol for routine low-grade fevers.
Regulators elsewhere did not follow. The MHRA said there is no evidence that taking paracetamol in pregnancy causes autism, the European Medicines Agency said its advice was unchanged, and the World Health Organization issued a statement to the same effect. In the US, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine kept recommending it. UKTIS states that the highest-quality studies do not show that exposure in the womb causes autism.
The strongest single study is Swedish. Published in JAMA in 2024, it followed 2.48 million children and compared brothers and sisters, one exposed to paracetamol in the womb and one not. Once family factors were accounted for, it found no link with autism, ADHD or intellectual disability. An umbrella review published in September 2026 found that the reported associations shrink towards zero as the quality of the studies rises. As of the US label published in May 2026, the label wording had not changed.
The practical advice has stayed the same: take paracetamol when you need it, at the lowest dose that works, for the shortest time. Avoiding it and leaving a fever untreated carries its own risk.
When to get help the same day
Call your doctor, midwife or maternity unit the same day if:
- your temperature is 38 °C or higher, or you feel shivery and unwell
- a headache does not ease with paracetamol, or comes with blurred vision, flashing lights, pain below the ribs or sudden swelling of your face, hands or feet: these can be signs of pre-eclampsia
- you have pain in your abdomen that does not go away, or burning when you pee with a fever or back pain
- you need paracetamol every day for more than a few days
Call your maternity unit straight away, day or night, if your baby is moving less than usual or the pattern of movements changes. Do not wait until the next day. Our guide to baby movements explains what to look for.
Call 999 or 911, or your local emergency number, for severe abdominal pain, heavy bleeding, a seizure, difficulty breathing, or swelling of the lips or tongue.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I take paracetamol while pregnant?
Yes. Paracetamol is the first-choice painkiller for pain and fever at every stage of pregnancy, according to the NHS, the UK medicines-in-pregnancy service (UKTIS) and the European Medicines Agency. Take the lowest dose that works for the shortest time, and talk to your doctor or midwife if you need it for more than a few days.
Is paracetamol safe in the first trimester?
Yes. UKTIS says paracetamol can be used throughout pregnancy, including the first weeks, and that no extra scans or tests are needed after taking it. Treating a high temperature in early pregnancy may even lower the chance of a neural tube defect such as spina bifida, which is one reason doctors want a fever brought down rather than left alone.
How much paracetamol can I take while pregnant?
No more than the dose on the packet for adults, and only as much and as often as you need. UK and EU regulators advise the lowest effective dose for the shortest possible time. Check that no other medicine you take also contains paracetamol, and ask your doctor or midwife if you need it for more than a few days.
Does paracetamol in pregnancy cause autism or ADHD?
The evidence does not show that it does. A 2024 study of 2.48 million Swedish children that compared brothers and sisters found no link with autism, ADHD or intellectual disability. The UK, EU and WHO said in 2025 there is no evidence that paracetamol causes autism. The US FDA started a label process the same month while saying a causal link has not been established.
Paracetamol or ibuprofen in pregnancy: which is better?
Paracetamol. It is the first choice throughout pregnancy, while ibuprofen is not advised unless a doctor recommends it and should be avoided from 20 weeks, because it can lower the amniotic fluid and affect a blood vessel in the baby's heart. If paracetamol does not control the pain, ask your doctor before taking anything stronger.
Can I take paracetamol with caffeine or codeine while pregnant?
Check with a pharmacist first. Paracetamol with caffeine adds to the daily caffeine you get from coffee and tea, which has its own limit in pregnancy. Codeine combinations are for a doctor to prescribe, because codeine taken near the birth can cause breathing and withdrawal problems in the newborn. Plain paracetamol is the usual choice.
Should I treat a fever in pregnancy with paracetamol?
Yes. The UK regulator warns that untreated fever can pose risks to the baby, and paracetamol is the medicine to bring it down. A temperature of 38 °C or higher also needs a call to your doctor, midwife or maternity unit the same day, so someone can look for the cause, such as a urine or chest infection.
Paracetamol in pregnancy: at a glance
Paracetamol is the first-choice painkiller for pain and fever at every stage of pregnancy, according to the NHS, UKTIS, the MHRA, the European Medicines Agency and Germany's Embryotox. Take the lowest dose that works for the shortest time, never more than the adult dose on the packet, and check that no other product you take also contains it. Treat a fever rather than waiting, and call your doctor or midwife the same day for 38 °C or above. Combinations with codeine need a prescription, decongestants and aspirin are best avoided, and caffeine counts towards your daily limit. The largest sibling study and regulators outside the US found no evidence that paracetamol causes autism.
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Read next
Sources
- NHS — Paracetamol for adults: pregnancy, breastfeeding and fertility
- UKTIS / bumps — Paracetamol in pregnancy
- UKTIS / bumps — Pain relief in pregnancy
- MHRA (2025) — Taking paracetamol during pregnancy remains safe
- European Medicines Agency (2025) — Use of paracetamol during pregnancy unchanged in the EU
- Embryotox (Charité Berlin) — Paracetamol
- US FDA (22 September 2025) — FDA responds to evidence of possible association between autism and acetaminophen use during pregnancy
- US FDA (22 September 2025) — Notice to physicians on the use of acetaminophen during pregnancy
- ACOG Practice Advisory (2025) — Acetaminophen use in pregnancy and neurodevelopmental outcomes
- Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (2025) — Statement on acetaminophen use during pregnancy and autism
- WHO (24 September 2025) — Statement on autism-related issues
- Ahlqvist et al., JAMA 2024 — Acetaminophen use during pregnancy and children's risk of autism, ADHD and intellectual disability
- Tayebi-Hillali et al., Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology 2026 — Prenatal paracetamol and autism and ADHD: an umbrella review
- DailyMed — Tylenol Regular Strength label (US, May 2026)
- UKTIS / bumps — Codeine in pregnancy
- UKTIS / bumps — Treatment of colds and flu in pregnancy
- UKTIS / bumps — Aspirin for pain in pregnancy
- NHS — High temperature (fever) in adults
- NHS — Pre-eclampsia
- NHS — Your baby's movements
Baby Novum is an informational and tracking tool, not a medical device, and does not provide medical diagnosis or treatment. Always consult your doctor or midwife about your pregnancy.