SUNBURY — Sunbury resident Alexa Fasold thought she was helping a childless California couple when she agreed to be a surrogate, but learned they may be part of a nationwide scam before delivering the baby in October.
The healthy infant boy has been placed with a foster family in Montour County while the FBI and California authorities investigate Silvia Zhang, 38, and Guojun Xuan, 65, the owners of Mark Surrogacy, an Arcadia, Calif.-based agency, who were accused of felony child endangerment and child neglect and later found to have 21 children between the ages of 2 and 13 — mostly toddlers delivered by surrogates — in their home or care.
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SUNBURY — Sunbury resident Alexa Fasold thought she was helping a childless California couple when she agreed to be a surrogate, but learned they may be part of a nationwide scam before delivering the baby in October.
The healthy infant boy has been placed with a foster family in Montour County while the FBI and California authorities investigate Silvia Zhang, 38, and Guojun Xuan, 65, the owners of Mark Surrogacy, an Arcadia, Calif.-based agency, who were accused of felony child endangerment and child neglect and later found to have 21 children between the ages of 2 and 13 — mostly toddlers delivered by surrogates — in their home or care.
This page requires Javascript.
Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
SUNBURY — Sunbury resident Alexa Fasold thought she was helping a childless California couple when she agreed to be a surrogate, but learned they may be part of a nationwide scam before delivering the baby in October.
The healthy infant boy has been placed with a foster family in Montour County while the FBI and California authorities investigate Silvia Zhang, 38, and Guojun Xuan, 65, the owners of Mark Surrogacy, an Arcadia, Calif.-based agency, who were accused of felony child endangerment and child neglect and later found to have 21 children between the ages of 2 and 13 — mostly toddlers delivered by surrogates — in their home or care.
This page requires Javascript.
Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
Despite a wardrobe bursting full of dresses pre-pregnancy, I was hit with a very unexpected urge to wear maternity trousers for almost my entire pregnancy. Perhaps it was because my bump felt safely coccooned in them. Perhaps it was because they highlighted my new shape without drowning it. Perhaps it was to contradict the traditionally ‘mumsy’ aesthetic. Or perhaps it was all three! Whatever the reason, I couldn’t get enough, and having spoken to many of my pregnant friends it seems I’m not the only one.
And while, during pregnancy, it can be very easy to live in the best maternity jeans or maternity leggings, there’s something about maternity trousers in particular that feels slightly less obvious, less cliché.
Allowing much more of your own personal style to show, they can be a real game-changer when it comes to your confidence in pregnancy.
Many pregnant woman will attest that you don’t necessarily feel like your best self throughout the nine months you’re carrying, but you can still tap into and lean on capsule wardrobe heroes to help. A flattering and comfortable pair of maternity trousers are ideal – you just have to know where to look for them.
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The best maternity trousers, at a glance:
Jennifer Lawrence wearing maternity trousers.
MEGA
Instantly making you look like you mean business, maternity trousers are great for the office, where denim doesn’t really cut it. They’re also essential for achieving that ‘quiet luxury’ aesthetic – just look at poster girl (and our current maternity style girl crush) Jennifer Lawrence, who pairs hers with a simple white tee and unbuttoned shirt. Characteristically chic.
Whilst we are by no means suggesting that you break up with your trusty maternity activewear leggings altogether, adding a few pairs of maternity trousers to your pregnancy wardrobe will help you keep things fresh. Here at Glamour, we are all about shopping wisely with sustainability front of mind, which is why we implore you to invest in items you’ll love enough to wear repeatedly over the next nine months.
Swayed by the power of maternity trousers? We’ve curated an edit of the very best, including everything from a pair of under the bump utility cargo trousers perfect for a weekend stroll, to striped linen-blend trousers ideal for that much-deserved babymoon. Ultimately, our edit proves maternity wear doesn’t have to be basic.
Why you can trust us
Website Director, Bianca London, Fashion Editor, Charlie Teather, Commerce Photo Editor, Neamh Randall, and Freelance Contributor, Rebecca Cope, all became first time (and in Bianca’s case, second-time too!) mums over the last few years, and – alongside, you know, prepping for one of humankind’s toughest physical feats and the subsequent life-altering reality of a tiny new human to care for 24/7 – rediscovering how to dress a body that was changing every single day posed a real challenge.
We didn’t want to lose our personal style identities – which, conveniently for those of you reading this for inspo, are all very different to one another’s – but we also wanted to celebrate and not just ‘disguise’ this incredible moment in our lives. And if we were finding this balance hard to strike, after working our whole adult lives in the fashion and magazine industry, we figured others must be too. So we made it something of a personal/professional mission to compile the ultimate guides. If for nothing more than for us to refer back to if/when we ever do this pregnancy thing again, because (spoiler alert) baby brain is no joke, people…
Our editors tried a plethora of maternity trousers throughout every trimester of their pregnancies and marked them on style, comfort and longevity. Whilst we quickly grew out of some of the more purse-friendly offerings, we did find plenty that lasted right until our due dates and beyond (because every new mum knows your body can take months to readjust to its pre-pregnancy shape).
Trousers designed for mums-to-be tend to fall into two styles – they’re either designed with a thick band, usually made from a jersey fabric that covers (and stretches over) your stomach, or they’re cut to sit below the bump with an elasticated waistband. Comfort preferences aside, we found that maternity pants with a band looked best teamed with a loose-fitting shirt or jumper to skim over it, while those that sit below the bump looked great with a (stretchy) bodysuit or fitted top.
PSA: Some of the styles you’ll find below aren’t strictly maternity, either. We made a conscious effort to invest in regular/mainline collection pieces that worked with our bumps – i.e. items with a lot of stretch – that we could continue wearing after the baby came, in a bid to be less wasteful.
With oversized, billowing silhouettes one of the retailer’s strong suits, you know you’re in safe (read: comfortable!) hands with NAP. Bonus points galore in that you can re-wear these pieces well beyond pregnancy. When the bump gets married one day, perhaps?
Nicole Trunfio created Bumpsuit during her third pregnancy. “I wanted to wear something chic, that felt like a second skin, that I didn’t have to think about when I woke up in the morning ready to wrangle two very demanding kids. I just didn’t have time anymore to try on and see what fits… I wanted something that could be my ‘go-to’ layer, so that all I needed to do was accessorise,” she said. Everything at Bumpsuit ticks those very boxes and is virtually seamless, so there’s nothing digging in or causing discomfort.
Bumpsuit Kate Sleeveless Stretch-Woven Unitard
“A jumpsuit is always a staple in my wardrobe, whether I’m pregnant or not. This is such an easy piece of clothing to put one when you have no clue what you fancy wearing – I simply add layers when I’m cold.” – Neamh Randall, Commerce Photo Editor.
Bumpsuit Maternity The Support Postpartum Stretch-Woven Bodysuit
“This playsuit helped to hold up my bump during the later stages of pregnancy, but I definitely recommend sizing up!” – Neamh Randall, Commerce Photo Editor.
No edit of the best maternity clothes would be complete without one of the retailers that hold up every British high street, M&S. We can safely assume most women in the UK own at least one M&S non-maternity bra / bikini / pair of knickers or tights – so add maternity dresses and some bestseller maternity swimwear to that list. The maternity range is second-to-none: high in quality, comfortable (read: stretchy) considerately-crafted and timeless. Think: a capsule wardrobe to last you the nine months you’re pregnant and beyond.
JoJo Maman Bébé Maternity Pure Cotton Jersey Dungarees
Maternity Over Bump Jeggings
New Look maternity-wear has got you covered when it comes to pregnancy clothes, with items that are just as fashionable as the pieces in your main collection – plus they’re super purse-friendly, too.
For summer pregnancies we’d suggest adding maternity swimwear, a maxi dress and a pack of maternity tops (which you can also wear as breastfeeding tops) to your basket, and for winter pregnancies we recommend stretchy leather look leggings, V-neck jumpers and floaty skirts to layer with tights and see you through ’til baby arrives.
ASOS’ maternity range is incredibly expansive; they have one of the widest selections of trend-led yet affordable maternity pieces on the market. In fact, a quick search for maternity clothes on the ASOS site throws up over 1,700 results – so you’re sure to find pieces that will fill the gaps in your existing wardrobe. ASOS super-fan pre-pregnancy? You’ll love it even more now.
Not only does ASOS stock maternity clothes from brands like River Island, Nobody’s Child, Wednesday’s Girl and New Look, but they also stock their own-brand maternity range: ASOS DESIGN Maternity. Just like the mainline label, there is a mix of excellent staples and tempting trend-led items. From activewear to maternity swimsuits and swimwear, lingerie, nightwear, knitwear and maternity trousers there’s no shortage of styles for every taste and budget (whether you’re going bodycon or cottagecore…)
FYI, they also have incredible loungewear kits to pack in your hospital bag.
Maternity Pleat Tuck Detail T-Shirt
Mamalicious Maternity Under the Bump Lightweight Summer Wide Leg Trousers
In a similar vein to Nike, the Adidas Maternity range is high-quality and designed to flex with your changing body through every stage of pregnancy. While Nike is our go-to for performance cuts, sweat-wicking fabrics and styles for the ever-active mama, Adidas nails sports-luxe loungewear that can also be worn for low-impact exercise. From supportive yoga pants to tracksuit bottoms and hoodies which use drawstrings to highlight your beautiful bump, the Adidas maternity collection champions your team of two.
Dedicated soley to pre and post-pregnancy, JoJo Maman Bebe has everything you could possibly think of. Right down to the nursing bras. Everything remains pretty on-trend, too, with styles like the below striped jumper that’ll be your best friend throughout those chilly early morning wake-up calls.
JoJo Maman Bébé Oatmeal Half-Zip Maternity and Nursing Jumper
JoJo Maman Bébé 2-Pack Maternity & Nursing Sleep Bras
When it comes to finding the basics throughout your pregnancy, Amazon is the place to look – especially if you need anything fast. A lot of it is available on next day delivery (if you’re a Prime member), and you’ll find everything from gym leggings to T-shirts and vests for layering.
Amazon Essentials Women’s Nursing T-Shirt
Amazon Essentials Women’s Maternity Tank Tops (Pack of 2)
Nike first launched their maternity range back in 2020, after speaking to 30 female athletes who were both pregnant and not pregnant – and scanning over 150,000 scans of expectant mother’s bodies. They dropped a four-piece collection designed for women throughout all stages of pregnancy, including sports bras, the best maternity leggings, hoodies and a tank top. Since then, they’ve expanded their maternity offering tenfold, and you’ll find a range of performance-led styles to work out (and lounge) in during from the first trimester until after your baby arrives. So. Good.
Women’s Dri-FIT Slim-Fit Short-Sleeve Top (Maternity)
Women’s Dri-FIT High-Waisted Biker Shorts With Pockets (Maternity)
Searching for the best maternity nightwear? Chelsea Peers has got you with everything from short pyjama sets to satin/silk pyjamas, nighties/shirt dresses and more. They also have you covered when it comes to dressing gowns and slippers too.
Maternity Organic Cotton Giraffe Print Long Pyjama Set
Maternity Organic Cotton Stripe Long Pyjama Set
Though Mango’s maternity range is limited (they mainly focus on maternity jeans) every style is trendy and acts as a timeless extensions to your existing wardrobe. Fashion-focused mums-to-be will love the striped cargo jeans and Mango’s edit proves that you don’t have to abandon great style, just because you’re pregnant.
The premise of this maternity brand is to create clothes you can wear beyond pregnancy and their quirky style suits cool mamas-to-be. We love the selection of printed jumpsuits that will become your go-to-pieces all pregnancy long – and beyond.
“Whether it be a baby shower, Christmas or just a casual Tuesday, Club L London has an outfit for every occasion, making you feel so glam. I know I will wear this olive dress to events long after the baby arrives, but it’ll have me feeling confident for the occasions I need to attend before too.” – Neamh Randall, Commerce Photo Editor.
Olive Twisted Asymmetric Maternity Maxi Dress
Count Down Maternity Ruched Mesh Bardot Jumpsuit
Bump & Milk was founded by Alex, a mum to two boys who has experienced every high and low of new motherhood. She wanted to create a maternity brand which was the opposite of the frumpy smock and breastfeeding cliché – stocking chic, long maternity dresses to breastfeeding hoodies and everything in between. They’re all about confident style that feels like “you” and will work postpartum too.
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Charlie Teather, Bianca London, Néamh Randall, Georgia Trodd
(CNN) — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against the companies Johnson & Johnson and Kenvue, claiming that they “deceptively” marketed Tylenol to pregnant mothers and that the medication is tied to an increased risk of autism. Kenvue said in a statement that the medication is safe and the company will “vigorously defend” against the claims.
The lawsuit, dated Monday and filed in the District Court of Panola County, Texas, comes about a month after President Donald Trump publicly claimed that the use of Tylenol during pregnancy can be associated with an increased risk of autism in the child, despite decades of evidence that the medication is safe.
“Big Pharma betrayed America by profiting off of pain and pushing pills regardless of the risks. These corporations lied for decades, knowingly endangering millions to line their pockets,” Paxton, the state’s Republican attorney general, who is also running for US Senate, said in a news release Tuesday. “By holding Big Pharma accountable for poisoning our people, we will help Make America Healthy Again.”
The lawsuit claims that Johnson & Johnson and Kenvue violated the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices-Consumer Protection Act because they knew that acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, “is dangerous to unborn children and young children” and “they hid this danger and deceptively marketed Tylenol as the only safe painkiller for pregnant women,” according to the lawsuit.
The state’s lawsuit has requested a jury trial and, in part, calls for the companies to “destroy any marketing or advertising materials in their possession that represent, directly or indirectly, that Tylenol is safe for pregnant women and children.” The lawsuit also calls for the companies to pay civil penalties to the state in the amount of $10,000 per violation.
“Nothing is more important to us than the health and safety of the people who use our products. We are deeply concerned by the perpetuation of misinformation on the safety of acetaminophen and the potential impact that could have on the health of American women and children,” Kenvue said in an emailed statement Tuesday.
“We will vigorously defend ourselves against these claims and respond per the legal process. We stand firmly with the global medical community that acknowledges the safety of acetaminophen and believe we will continue to be successful in litigation as these claims lack legal merit and scientific support,” the statement said in part. “We also encourage expecting mothers to speak to their health professional before taking any over-the-counter medication, including acetaminophen, as indicated on our product label for Tylenol®.”
In a statement, a Johnson & Johnson company spokesperson said it “divested its consumer health business years ago, and all rights and liabilities associated with the sale of its over-the-counter products, including Tylenol (acetaminophen), are owned by Kenvue.”
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit that says makers of Tylenol “deceptively marketed” the medication as the “only safe painkiller for pregnant women.” Credit: Mandel Ngan/AFP / Getty Images via CNN Newsource
Experts have said there are multiple causes of autism, and the science showing a connection between autism and Tylenol is not settled.
“Suggestions that acetaminophen use in pregnancy causes autism are not only highly concerning to clinicians but also irresponsible when considering the harmful and confusing message they send to pregnant patients, including those who may need to rely on this beneficial medicine during pregnancy,” Dr. Steven J. Fleischman, president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, said in a statement in September.
“Acetaminophen is one of the few options available to pregnant patients to treat pain and fever, which can be harmful to pregnant people when left untreated. Maternal fever, headaches as an early sign of preeclampsia, and pain are all managed with the therapeutic use of acetaminophen, making acetaminophen essential to the people who need it,” he said. “The conditions people use acetaminophen to treat during pregnancy are far more dangerous than any theoretical risks and can create severe morbidity and mortality for the pregnant person and the fetus.”
(CNN) — Kenvue, the American company that makes Tylenol, says the US Food and Drug Administration should not make proposed changes to the product’s safety label to reflect research about a possible connection between its use in pregnancy and diagnoses of autism or ADHD in children.
Kenvue says that acetaminophen, the generic name for the painkiller and fever reducer also known as paracetamol, is “one of the most studied medicines in history” and that “adoption of the proposed labeling revisions would be arbitrary, capricious, and contrary to law.”
Tylenol generates $1 billion annually for the company and is considered the company’s biggest-selling brand, according to the brokerage Morningstar.
The current label instructs people who are pregnant or breastfeeding to “ask a health professional before use.”
The push for a label change came after President Donald Trump held a news conference last month in which he told pregnant women who are in pain to try to “tough it out” instead of taking Tylenol, even though acetaminophen is the one over-the-counter pain reliever considered safe for pregnant people to take.
The president claimed without evidence that Tylenol use during pregnancy was linked to a “very increased risk of autism.”
“Fight like hell not to take it,” Trump urged.
Most people use acetaminophen at some point during their pregnancy, studies show. Other common pain or fever treatments like ibuprofen or regular-dose aspirin can increase the risk of serious complications when used during pregnancy.
Untreated pain or fever can be dangerous for the mother and the fetus, possibly leading to problems like miscarriage, birth defects or high blood pressure.
Beginning the process to change the safety label on acetaminophen products was just one action the Trump administration planned to take.
US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said at the news conference last month that his agency would launch a public service campaign about the issue.
The FDA also sent a letter to physicians saying that the choice to take Tylenol “still belongs with parents” but that use during pregnancy may cause an “increased risk of neurological conditions such as autism and ADHD in children.”
However, the letter also noted that “a causal relationship has not been established” and that studies about a link are “contradictory.”
The Informed Consent Action Network, an anti-vaccine nonprofit with close ties Kennedy, said in a letter dated the day of Trump’s news conference that it had filed a citizen’s petition with the FDA. Such filings are a way for individuals, industry or consumer groups to ask the agency to take action on a specific issue.
The petition says that because of the “urgent public health implications,” the FDA should act quickly to add a more detailed warning to the labels of over-the-counter drug products that contain acetaminophen to spell out that “studies show that frequent use of this product during pregnancy may increase your child’s risk of neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.”
On Friday, Kenvue asked the FDA to deny the petition, saying that suggested changes to the label are unsupported by scientific evidence “and would represent an unexplained departure from FDA’s longstanding position on acetaminophen during pregnancy.”
The company said it met with Kennedy in early September, after the HHS secretary reached out to say he believed there was a connection between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and autism, and it told him there was no such link.
An HHS spokesperson said Monday that the FDA doesn’t comment on product-specific matters.
The FDA website on acetaminophen has not changed to reflect the Trump administration’s views. It says it was last updated in August and specifies, “to date, FDA has not found clear evidence that appropriate use of acetaminophen during pregnancy causes adverse pregnancy, birth, neurobehavioral, or developmental outcomes.”
Acetaminophen has been studied for decades to find any problems it may cause in pregnancy, according to the American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists.Not one reputable study has concluded that acetaminophen use in any trimester of pregnancy causes neurodevelopmental disorders in children.
That group points to a study published last year of more than 2 million children that found no significant associations between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and children’s risk of autism, ADHD or intellectual disability.
Another study published in August analyzed 46 studies on acetaminophen use during pregnancy and neurodevelopmental disorders. Six of the studies specifically examined acetaminophen use and autism. Overall, the analysis concluded that there was “strong evidence of an association” between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and autism, but the authors were careful to say that the paper could only show an association, the research could not show that acetaminophen caused autism.
“We recommend judicious acetaminophen use — lowest effective dose, shortest duration — under medical guidance, tailored to individual risk–benefit assessments, rather than a broad limitation,” the researchers wrote in that analysis.
After the Trump news conference, medicine regulatory agencies for the European Union and the United Kingdom and Health Canada quickly issued statements confirming that taking the over-the-counter pain-reliever during pregnancy remains safe.
Jennifer Choate’s pregnancy was uncomplicated — until it wasn’t. Two and a half weeks before her March 6, 2025 due date, the 27-year-old went to the emergency room at the University of Maryland Baltimore Washington Medical Center after experiencing headaches and high blood pressure.
Doctors thought Choate might be suffering from preeclampsia and induced labor. Her fiancée rushed to her side. Choate chatted with him and her care team as her labor progressed normally. Suddenly, she was struck with an excruciating pressure in her chest and head.
“It was not painful but it felt like someone was squeezing me as hard as they possibly could. I felt like my head was going to explode,” Choate said. She turned to Arianna Bortle, the labor and delivery nurse at her side. “I said, ‘Something has gone wrong. I don’t feel good.’”
Bortle had only been a nurse for 18 months but Choate’s statements made her hair stand on end. She immediately ran to get her superiors. As they re-entered the room, Choate’s heart stopped.
“She was talking to me, and then she wasn’t,” Bortle said. “She didn’t have a pulse.”
Jennifer Choate and her fiance before her delivery.
Jennifer Choate
What is an amniotic fluid embolism?
What Choate had experienced was an amniotic fluid embolism, doctors said. The condition is a “super rare obstetric event” when amniotic fluid enters a person’s bloodstream and “sets off a cascade of events” that causes “essentially all major organs of the mom’s body to shut down,” said Dr. Nicole Scott, an associate professor of clinical obstetrics & gynecology at Indiana University’s School of Medicine.
Doctors don’t know what causes the “life-threatening event,” Scott said. It occurs in about 1 in 40,000 U.S. births, according to the Cleveland Clinic. They usually happen shortly after a person’s water breaks, and have no warning signs, Scott said. Patients quickly decompensate, with the heart failing and other organs shutting down. The body’s clotting process malfunctions, causing intense bleeding. People may experience strokes and seizures.
About half of the women who have an amniotic fluid embolism die, according to Scott. The mortality rate for their babies varies depending on the stage of labor a person is in when the embolism occurs.
Survivors usually suffer lifelong complications, according to Scott. A lack of blood to the brain may leave a patient with long-lasting neurological issues, and blood clots can cause musculoskeletal issues. Some people are paralyzed. Doctors may need to perform a hysterectomy. Survivors also “have a significant amount of trauma,” Scott said.
Jennifer Choate on a respirator after emergency surgery.
Jennifer Choate
A fight to recover
Choate was resuscitated, and her daughter was successfully delivered via cesarean section. Doctors used blood transfusions, clamps and a uterine tamponade to control Choate’s blood loss and stabilize her, said Dr. Pablo Argeles, the chair of obstetrics and gynecology at UM BWMC.
Medical professionals from multiple disciplines collaborated on how to keep Choate alive, Argeles said. She was placed on a ventilator and transferred to the University of Maryland Medical Center for advanced intensive care.
When Choate woke up, she had no idea what had happened or where her baby was. She assumed the worst.
“I was like, ‘If I have a tube in my throat, there’s no way she survived whatever happened … there’s no way that a baby that is measuring 7 or 8 pounds is alive right now,’” Choate said.
After an agonizing wait, Choate was told that her baby was alive and well. After a doctor explained what had happened, Choate understood that she was lucky: Both she and her daughter had survived, and she would not have long-term medical complications.
Jennifer Choate meets her baby.
Jennifer Choate
As Choate recovered, she was haunted by her ordeal. She Googled amniotic fluid embolisms and said she was horrified by the statistics she found. She was able to briefly see her baby but was distraught about missing so much time with her. Being apart hurt more than her recovery, she said.
“I was like, ‘I need to go home. I have to go home right now. I need to be a mom,’” Choate said. “They kept telling me I was a miracle. I was like, ‘I don’t care about being a miracle. I want to be a mom.’”
As staff weaned her off medications and machines, Choate began to push herself. She practiced how she would maneuver her way into the bathtub or stand up from a couch. She wheeled her baby’s bassinet around the recovery floor to show she was ready to leave.
“It was hard. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. It was painful, and I was crying. I was in so much pain. But when you have a baby, all of that pain just gets pushed to the side. My pain level was 1000 over 10, and I did not care,” Choate said.
Jennifer Choate pushes her baby in a bassinet while recovering.
Jennifer Choate
The display worked. Choate was discharged after nine days in the hospital.
“The one most important thing”
When Choate arrived home, the house was covered in so many cards, posters and baby gifts that she could barely recognize it. Her family offered support. Bortle, the nurse who realized something was wrong, came to visit. Her daughter, now seven months old, is on her best behavior, Choate joked, and practicing skills like rolling and sitting up.
“She doesn’t cry about literally anything. I say ‘She knows what I’ve been through, so she’s taking it easy,” Choate teased.
Even as life continues on, Choate said she thinks about her ordeal “every single day.”
“I’ve never taken my life for granted, but it is scary to think that anything can happen,” Choate said. “Sometimes I wonder, like, did this actually happen to me? I almost feel like I’m living in a different universe.”
Jennifer Choate, her fiance and their baby.
Jennifer Choate
Love for her daughter washes away those troubled thoughts quickly.
“I got the one most important thing out of my birth and labor,” Choate said. “My child is alive.”
By Dennis Thompson HealthDay ReporterTUESDAY, Oct. 7, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Protecting newborns’ lives starts with protecting the health of an expecting mother, a new study says.
Infants are 14 to 22 times more likely to die if their mother dies during pregnancy or just after delivering a newborn, researchers reported recently in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology.
“If we want to protect infant health, the first step is to recognize the shared health outcomes between mothers and their infants,” said lead researcher Eugene Declercq, a professor of community health sciences at Boston University School of Public Health.
“Improving women’s health is a worthy goal in itself, but this research reminds us that healthier mothers are also the foundation for protecting the health of their infants and, ultimately, their families,” Declercq said in a news release.
For the new study, researchers tracked more than 1.6 million live births that occurred in Massachusetts between 1999 and 2020. Among them, there were 474 pregnancy-related deaths.
The infant death rate was more than 14 times higher when a mother died during pregnancy or following delivery, researchers found.
Infants’ death rate increased higher if maternal deaths occurred following severe health problems during pregnancy. In those cases, infants’ death rate was 22 times greater.
Even babies born at term who survived their mother’s pregnancy-related death were still 35% more likely to be hospitalized within their first year of life, results showed.
The overall pregnancy-associated maternal death rate in Massachusetts was more than 29 deaths per 100,000 live births.
When moms died, the infant death rate was 55 for every 1,000 live births, researchers found.
The infant death rate rose to nearly 88 deaths per 1,000 live births if a mother died after suffering a pregnancy-related health problem like kidney failure, high blood pressure, eclampsia or sepsis.
And these results might actually be sunny compared to the rest of the nation, researchers said. During this period, Massachusetts had the lowest infant death rate in the U.S.
These results come during a politically motivated push to reduce or eliminate maternal mortality review committees operating in some states where mothers’ death rates are higher, researchers said.
Georgia, Texas and Arkansas all have taken steps to limit their review committees, to prevent review of how abortion bans or Medicaid policies might affect the maternal death rate, Stateline reports.
The U.S. currently has the highest maternal death rate of any developed nation, with more than 22 deaths for every 100,000 live births in 2022, according to the Commonwealth Fund.
By comparison, New Zealand has nearly 14 deaths per 100,000 live births, Canada more than 8 per 100,000, France more than 7 per 100,000, the U.K. fewer than 6 per 100,000 and Germany, Austria and Japan fewer than 4 per 100,000.
“Pregnancy-associated death is a tragedy in and of itself, but its consequences can extend to a family and community,” the research team concluded in its paper.
“This research suggests the need to broaden the scope of the U.S. maternal mortality crisis to emphasize the importance of protecting maternal health to preserve infant health,” researchers wrote.
I was trapped in a nightmare, and I couldn’t wake up. I hadn’t slept properly since before Rosalie was born, a traumatic birth that ended up being an emergency cesarean due to preeclampsia. For a week, I felt trapped in an escape room, and I was convinced that I needed to perform rituals around the house and garden to try to get out. I was exclusively breastfeeding and would find myself feeling wired after the night feeds, so I’d stay up and rearrange the house. Amidst my new mum stress, I hadn’t quite realised that I had entered a state of full-blown insomnia.
The hallucinations started pretty soon after getting out of the hospital post-birth. At one point my baby morphed into W1A actor Jason Watkins, the next I thought she had been replaced with a pillow, and then when she was sound asleep in her next-to-me cot, I saw her body crushed on my bedsheets.
My husband didn’t notice anything at first as I muttered things like”‘Don’t you think our light really looks like Rozzy?” at 3 am, but I soon deteriorated. “You’ve grown up so fast”, I mumbled to my husband, convinced he was an adult version of our daughter. I’d taken the well-meaning “She really looks just like her Dad” comments literally. Then I became convinced our house was on fire.
My ‘new mum’ hormones that were meant to protect our newborn instead had me in overdrive, and I was constantly on edge, thinking everything was an emergency. I couldn’t stop smelling gas. Then I realised I had no idea what date it was, not even the year. I would get in the bath with my watch on, convinced time was hurtling forwards and then backwards. I genuinely thought I could time-travel. The reality is that new motherhood and maternity leave are crazy periods where time seems to move differently, but my illness had taken this to new extremes.
It was a Saturday night when the ambulance was called. Ironically, I’d been watching Casualty and had believed that everything happening on the show was actually about my life. I changed the channel, and it happened again; nightmare versions of mine and Rosalie’s lives were playing out on a celebrity special of The Weakest Link.
One evening in 2019, when I was a pediatrics resident, I admitted a two-month-old to the hospital for observation after a minor surgery. I explained to the baby’s mother that I planned to order acetaminophen—commonly sold over the counter as Tylenol—every six hours, because the baby had an obvious source of pain. If pain still kept the baby from eating, sleeping, or calming down, the mother could ask for an opioid. I was just leaving the room when the mother stopped me to ask about the acetaminophen.
“Doesn’t it cause autism?” she said.
“I’m not familiar with any research linking Tylenol to autism,” I told her. “But I’ll look into it and get back to you.” In the meantime, we agreed to use both the acetaminophen and the opioid as needed, instead of administering them on a schedule.
When I sat down at a hospital computer, I was surprised to find that the mother’s question had a basis in mainstream research. Small studies had associated acetaminophen exposure in utero with a baby’s risk of developing autism. But this wasn’t the same as saying that Tylenol caused autism. Perhaps whatever the drug was treating—for example, fevers, infections, or painful chronic conditions—contributed to autism, and acetaminophen did not.
For babies under three months, as for pregnant women, Tylenol is considered the safest medicine for fever. (Ibuprofen and similar medications, NSAIDs, have been associated with kidney injury in babies.) I continued to order it for patients, if a little more cautiously. Then, in 2024, a more rigorously controlled study of more than two million children born in Sweden found no connection between acetaminophen and neurodevelopmental disorders. As the epidemiologist Katelyn Jetelina has written, “the evidence leans heavily towards correlation, not causation. (Tylenol is not the cause.)”
Last week, during a press conference, President Trump contradicted existing research by urging women to “tough it out” and avoid Tylenol during pregnancy. “Fight like hell not to take it,” he said. On Friday, he wrote on Truth Social, “DON’T GIVE TYLENOL TO YOUR YOUNG CHILD FOR VIRTUALLY ANY REASON.” Medical groups disagreed. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) advised women to continue using Tylenol when needed. “Misleading claims that the medicine is not safe and is linked to increased rates of autism send a confusing, dangerous message to parents and expectant parents and does a disservice to autistic individuals,” the American Academy of Pediatrics said.
Now doctors are reporting that pregnant women are hesitating to use the medicine, even when professionals recommend it for pain or for fever. One reason that Trump’s claims are difficult to dispel is that he makes them sound certain. Doctors, in contrast, can say that the strongest research does not show a link between Tylenol and autism, and that medical professionals consider it the best option for pain and fever in pregnancy. But we know that there is uncertainty in medical research, and so we speak with care.
It ought to be possible for doctors to be more definitive. Pregnancy is not a rare condition—millions of people get pregnant each year—yet those who experience it are frequently told that there’s not enough research to guarantee that a medicine is safe. When a pregnant woman needs medicine, whether for lupus or for high blood pressure, she may feel that she faces an impossible choice: suffer through a condition that may itself harm her or her baby, or else allow an uncontrolled experiment inside one’s own body. Isn’t there a better way?
Many of the rules that govern research on human beings date back to the Nuremberg Code, a response to Nazi doctors who conducted brutal experiments in concentration camps. To this day, research participants must consent; trials must be stopped if there is evidence of substantial harm. In the nineteen-sixties, the public became aware that thalidomide, a widely used nausea drug, had caused birth defects in an estimated eight thousand children outside of the United States. The drug became a case study for the growing field of bioethics. In 1977, the F.D.A. excluded not only pregnant women but also women “of childbearing potential” from early-stage clinical trials, which focus on safety and toxicity. Drugs are instead tested for toxicity in pregnant animals—usually, rats and rabbits—which often respond very differently than humans.
According to Ruth Faden, the founder of the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics, these efforts to protect women and babies had unintended consequences. In fact, she said, public responses to thalidomide were a “misreading of history.” Thalidomide wasn’t systematically tested on pregnant women. If it had been, then its risks likely would have been discovered sooner, and fewer children would’ve been affected.
In the nineteen-nineties, the F.D.A.’s exclusion of women “of childbearing potential” ended, and the National Institutes of Health established guidelines to encourage women in general to participate in research. In 2018, the Common Rule, which establishes scientific practices for twenty federal agencies, was revised to make it easier for researchers to include pregnant women. But, in 2024, a report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine asserted that that “very little progress has been made on research involving pregnant and lactating women.” Too often, Faden told me, pregnant women are still viewed as fragile vessels who need to be sequestered from the world. “We need to protect women through research, not from research,” she said.
Thoughtful safety protocols would be necessary to ethically include pregnant women in research studies. Medicines whose mechanism could plausibly harm a fetus—those that inhibit crucial nutrients such as folate, for example, or that stop cells from dividing—would be excluded. So would drugs that have worrisome effects in pregnant animals. As in any research study, participation would need to be voluntary, and the trial would need to be more likely to benefit women than to harm them. If scientists started to suspect that women or their babies were being harmed, the trial would need to be paused or stopped altogether.
The Oregon Nurses Association disputes President Trump’s claim about acetaminophen and pregnancy. Acquired Through MGN Online on 04/08/2020
PORTLAND, OR – The Oregon Nurses Association has issued a statement condemning President Trump’s recent comments advising that pregnant women “avoid Tylenol at all costs” and announcing plans for the Food and Drug Administration to require new warning labels against the use of acetaminophen in pregnancy. ONA said the president’s claims are not supported by scientific evidence and risk undermining public trust in evidence-based care.
“The President’s statements appear to be yet another ideologically driven attack on public health designed to score cheap political points,” they said.
According to ONA statement, there is no causal link between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and autism or other neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism, and that suggesting otherwise spreads misinformation, creates unnecessary fear among pregnant patients and families, and may lead to the undertreatment of pain and fever during pregnancy, which can create health risks for mothers and babies.
“We call on President Trump, his allies in Congress, and the Secretary of Health and Human Services to respect science, protect public health, and support the frontline caregivers who care for patients and families across the country,” ONA officials wrote. “Spreading unsubstantiated claims on issues as sensitive as maternal and child health is not good for patients, not good for caregivers, and not good for Oregonians.”
On Wednesday, Rihanna and partner A$AP Rocky announced via Instagram that they’d welcomed their third child together, the couple’s first daughter. The baby’s biological sex isn’t the only thing different this time around: The happy parents unveiled the baby’s name at the same time they revealed the baby, too, less than two weeks after her birth. “Rocki Irish Mayers,” Rihanna wrote in her caption. “Sept 13 2025.”
Baby Rocki’s arrival and the subsequent heraldic announcement of her birth follows one family tradition, that of R-names (Rihanna’s legal name is Robyn, and Rocky’s is Rakim, and big brothers RZA and Riot Rose continued the line), and supports the idea one can be both a baddie and a Pinterest mom. The third time around, this is the most timely reveal of a Rihanna offspring’s photo, name, and birth date thus far.
On Instagram Wednesday, Rihanna shared photos of herself cradling the snoozing infant (the delight is in the details here, Rih is sporting a baby-pink manicure, a gold watch with a pale pink face, and a gold “MOM” ring, plus arm cuffs affixed with oversized pink bows, lest the rosiness of the situation be overlooked), and a pair of teeny tiny, silky blossom pink boxing gloves, ribbons artfully trailing, perhaps an homage to another famous Rocky, the boxer played by Sylvester Stallone. (Some parents just use socks to stop their newborns from accidentally scratching themselves with their tiny fingernails, but Rihanna is, as usual, doing Rihanna stuff. It works.)
Of course, three is a trend, and Rihanna warned in a June red carpet interview with Entertainment Tonight that when it comes to her kids, “it’s always going to be an R name. That’s the one thing me and Rocky don’t fight over,” she said.
Rocky the elder told Elle in a profile interview, published Wednesday, that he and Rihanna hadn’t known the sex of the baby before birth, but that he had his fingers crossed for a little girl. “I feel like it’s going to be a girl,” he said. “This pregnancy is so different from the other two. You can tell from the experience. I hope it’s a baby girl, man. I need that.”
Baby Rocki’s arrival also brings science and society one step closer to a definitive proof of a Unified Theory of Kardashianism: Kris Jenner revolutionized the alliterative naming convention for future famous siblings, borrowing her own first initial for Kourtney, Kim, Khloé, Kendall, and Kylie’s names (sorry, Rob). The most recent famous baby Rocky is also a fruit of that particular genetic loom: Kourtney’s child with husband Travis Barker, Rocky Thirteen Barker, born in November 2023. That Rocky has already made his reality TV debut (albeit with his face obscured) on The Kardashians, portending a possible future in the family business. Will the newest Rocki in the quarry follow suit?
Reps for Rihanna and Rocky did not immediately respond to Vanity Fair’s request for comment, their hands perhaps full with their three kids.
When Tylenol’s parent company addressed President Donald Trump’s warning this week about a link between Tylenol and autism, it said the active ingredient, acetaminophen, is the safest pain reliever available for pregnant women.
Two days after Trump’s news conference, social media sleuths found an old tweet from the company that they said undermined the company’s message.
“We actually don’t recommend using any of our products while pregnant,” Tylenol wrote March 7, 2017, replying to another post. “Thank you for taking the time to voice your concerns today.”
The post Tylenol replied to has since been deleted, so it’s impossible to know what comment prompted this reply nearly eight and a half years ago.
Some social media users questioned its authenticity.
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“How can this be real?” sportscaster Samantha Ponder wrote on X. “Every doctor I had, for all three pregnancies, told me it’s totally fine to take Tylenol. What is going on?!”
The Trump administration touted the 2017 post as proof that prenatal use of Tylenol isn’t safe.
The White House X account reposted Tylenol’s 2017 post and shared a photo of Trump holding up one of his signature red hats that said: “Trump was right about everything.”
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services also weighed in, sharing a screenshot of Tylenol’s post and writing, “No caption needed.”
The White House and Department of Health and Human Services shared Tylenol’s 2017 post on Sept. 24, 2025. (Screenshots from X)
Trump allies including Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., also cast the old post as the brand’s current position.
“To all Democrats with Trump Derangement Syndrome, your TDS is putting kids lives at risk,” Mace wrote. “Here is @tylenol’s warning for pregnant women: Don’t use tylenol.”
Melissa Witt, a spokesperson for Tylenol’s parent company, Kenvue, told PolitiFact the 2017 post was “being taken out of context.”
“We do not recommend pregnant women take any medication without talking to their doctor,” she said. “This is consistent with the regulations and product label for acetaminophen.”
Here’s context for the confusion.
Tylenol’s other social media posts and drug label encourage pregnant patients to seek medical guidance
Other posts Tylenol issued around the same time instructed people to consult clinicians before taking Tylenol products.
“If you are pregnant/nursing, seek the advice of your healthcare professional before using Tylenol or any other medication,” Tylenol wrote in late 2016.
In February 2017, it advised another social media user — who had praised Tylenol “for being pregnancy safe” — to seek a clinician’s advice: “Thanks for the shout out Carrie!” Tylenol wrote. “Just make sure to talk to your doctor before taking Tylenol while you’re pregnant.”
On its own, the March 2017 post is at odds with more recent public statements from Tylenol and its parent company.
Kenvue told PolitiFact on Sept. 22 that acetaminophen is “the safest pain reliever” option available throughout an entire pregnancy.
“Without it, women face dangerous choices: suffer through conditions like fever that are potentially harmful to both mom and baby or use riskier alternatives,” the company’s statement said. “High fevers and pain are widely recognized as potential risks to a pregnancy if left untreated.”
On Sept. 22, Tylenol posted an Instagram video highlighting Tylenol’s label, which encourages people who are pregnant or breast feeding to talk to a health professional.
“Your doctor is the best person to advise whether taking medication is right for you based on your specific health needs,” the video said.
Since 2021, Tylenol has used its account on X — the platform where the 2017 post originated — only to reply to other users.
Doctors say using Tylenol during pregnancy is safe, while untreated pain and fever pose health risks
Medical professionals and researchers — not just brands like Tylenol that sell acetaminophen products — have long advised pregnant patients that Tylenol is the safest option to reduce fever or pain.
The Trump administration’s recent effort to discourage the use of Tylenol during pregnancy rests on the unproven idea that acetaminophen use during pregnancy increases a child’s risk of autism — and it’s based on conflicting science, experts told PolitiFact.
Some studies have found that children exposed to acetaminophen during pregnancy were more likely to have autism symptoms or be diagnosed with autism, but other studies found no such association. Association is not the same as causation, however. All that to say: Research showing an association between Tylenol and autism doesn’t prove the medication caused autism.
As the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Sept. 22 it had “initiated the process” to change acetaminophen labels, it also acknowledged the drug isn’t a proven cause of autism.
“It is important to note that while an association between acetaminophen and neurological conditions has been described in many studies, a causal relationship has not been established and there are contrary studies in the scientific literature,” it said.
Research has linked untreated fevers during pregnancy to an increased risk of birth defects and other pregnancy complications, particularly if they occur during the first trimester. Untreated pain can lead to maternal depression, anxiety and high blood pressure.
“Maternal fever, headaches as an early sign of preeclampsia, and pain are all managed with the therapeutic use of acetaminophen, making acetaminophen essential to the people who need it,” said Dr. Steven J. Fleischman, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists president. “The conditions people use acetaminophen to treat during pregnancy are far more dangerous than any theoretical risks and can create severe morbidity and mortality for the pregnant person and the fetus.”
PolitiFact Staff Writer Samantha Putterman contributed to this report.
Many doctors and public health officials are taking issue with President Trump’s claim that there’s “no downside” to avoiding acetaminophen during pregnancy and his suggestion that expecting mothers should “tough it out” when it comes to fevers.
Acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol and many cold and flu medications, is used to reduce pain and fever in pregnancy.
“Don’t take it. There’s no downside in not taking it,” Mr. Trump said during an announcement Monday that linked the use of the drug during pregnancy to an increased risk of autism in children without giving new evidence and ignoring data that shows there is not a causal relation.
The Food and Drug Administration is “strongly recommending that women limit Tylenol use during pregnancy unless medically necessary,” he said. “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. It’s a small number of cases, I think. But if you can’t tough it out, if you can’t do it, that’s what you’re going to have to do. You’ll take a Tylenol.”
In an open letter to physicians released after Mr. Trump’s announcement, FDA Commissioner Marty Makary was more cautious than the president, writing, “clinicians should consider minimizing the use of acetaminophen during pregnancy for routine low-grade fevers.”
But doctors worry the suggestion to “tough it out” will harm women and their babies, as high fever and pain can be dangerous during pregnancy.
“The messaging of ‘tough it out’ is something that unfortunately we have said to women in health care in this country for far too long,” Dr. Lucky Sekhon, an OB/GYN and infertility specialist in New York City, told CBS News.
There’s also a concern patients may turn to other pain medications that are proven to be unsafe during pregnancy. Makary noted in his letter that “acetaminophen is the safest over-the-counter alternative in pregnancy among all analgesics and antipyretics.”
The risks of fever during pregnancy
Medicalexperts warn that fevers during pregnancy can cause problems for a developing baby.
Especially in early pregnancy, fevers are associated with cardiac issues, cleft lip, cleft palate and central nervous system abnormalities, Dr. Steven Fleischman, president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, told CBS News after Mr. Trump’s announcement.
“The idea that we’re going to let someone with a fever ‘tough it out’ may have much worse implications for a pregnant woman than taking a dose of acetaminophen to bring that fever down,” he said. “I think that’s not really an appropriate way to handle medical issues in pregnancy.”
Dr. Céline Gounder, CBS News medical contributor and editor-at-large for public health at KFF Health News, echoed it’s important to not let fevers go untreated due to the risk of brain development issues in the baby.
“Fever and infections during pregnancy can cause neurodevelopmental disorders including potentially autism,” she said. “I worry that this will scare women and that pregnant women may avoid Tylenol even when it’s entirely appropriate, for example, to treat a fever.”
Internal medicine physician Dr. Shoshana Ungerleider saidscience does not support the administration’s claims.
“What’s far riskier is leaving a fever untreated during pregnancy which can harm both mom and baby, so Tylenol remains the safest option we have in those situations,” she said.
Why Tylenol or acetaminophen is advised
Gounder said she’s concerned that expectant mothers with a fever or pain may turn to other options that would be less safe.
“Will women end up taking other medications like aspirin or ibuprofen during pregnancy? Those actually can be dangerous, especially in the third trimester, you can end up with kidney issues, cardiac issues in the baby,” she said.
Fleischman agreed that acetaminophen is the safest option.
“You should not, under any circumstances, avoid taking acetaminophen if you have a fever early in pregnancy, if you have a headache, if you have some other condition in pregnancy, we want you to take that medication,” he told CBS News. “The overwhelming evidence that we have seen over the last 20 years does not show causation for acetaminophen causing autism.”
That research, he explained, includes a large study published last year which analyzed data on 2.5 million pregnancies and found no increased risk of autism in children whose mothers took acetaminophen.
The lead author of that study, Viktor H. Ahlqvist, PhD, of the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, said in an interview that acetaminophen continues to be “the recommended option” for use during pregnancy.
He shared the concern that “alternatives to acetaminophen in the U.S. might be other medications with less-safe profiles, such as opioids or other things to manage pain. We do know that these have serious consequences when used in pregnancy, both for the mom and for the baby.”
These doctors are not alone. Health experts from around the world have pushed back against the Trump administration’s claims about acetaminophen and autism.
The European Union’s European Medicines Agency said Tuesday there is “no new evidence” that would require changes to the current recommendations for use of acetaminophen, also called paracetamol outside the U.S.
“Paracetamol remains an important option to treat pain or fever in pregnant women,” Steffen Thirstrup, EMA’s chief medical officer, said in the statement. “Our advice is based on a rigorous assessment of the available scientific data and we have found no evidence that taking paracetamol during pregnancy causes autism in children.”
What should pregnant women do?
Pregnant patients should consult with their doctor on what’s the best for them, but Fleischman pointed out that acetaminophen is only used when necessary.
“You don’t take Tylenol just for fun. … It’s not like a [daily] vitamin, and we would never treat it that way,” he said. “Patients are told to use acetaminophen when they have a fever, when they have a headache or other pain symptoms in pregnancy which require treatment.”
The medication is generally recommended for a fever above 100.4, Fleischman explained.
“We know that higher fevers are definitely associated with more issues but if your temperature is above 100.4, taking acetaminophen to bring that down is definitely advised,” he said.
A single extra-strength dose, which is 500 mg, should be “more than adequate,” he added, but said it can be repeated if needed.
“As always, we want our patients to consult with their health care provider before using any medications, but all of the data shows that it’s safe and there is no data that shows Tylenol causes autism,” Dr. Veronica Gillispie-Bell, a board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist, told CBS News.
She shared concerns over the FDA initiating a label change on Tylenol and acetaminophen to warn of a possible association with autism.
“I think it will make our moms scared to take Tylenol, and the repercussions, again, for those moms that are having fever and those moms that are having pain, those repercussions can be very detrimental. And it’s really shameful when we know that Tylenol is safe and again we have no studies showing that it causes autism,” Gillispie-Bell said.
Sara Moniuszko is a health and lifestyle reporter at CBSNews.com. Previously, she wrote for USA Today, where she was selected to help launch the newspaper’s wellness vertical. She now covers breaking and trending news for CBS News’ HealthWatch.
Several celebrities are preparing to welcome little ones into their families in 2025.
Former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow and his wife, Demi-Leigh Tebow, revealed in January that they are expecting their first child. “We are just so excited and so over the moon to be having a baby together,” Demi-Leigh told People at the time, while Tim noted that he’s “honored for the privilege of getting the responsibility and the joy of being mom and dad.”
The couple announced the pregnancy just days shy of their fifth wedding anniversary. “I feel like every time I say, ‘Tim’s going to be a dad!’ it feels so surreal,” Demi-Leigh told the outlet. Tim returned her kind words, adding: “She will be extremely loyal and loving. Demi is someone that is extremely determined. When she sets her mind to something, she goes all the way in — and I know that she will do that as a mom, too.”
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The pair celebrated their relationship milestone with a rustic pregnancy photo shoot, wearing matching white outfits. Tim and Demi-Leigh held sonogram photos of their baby while sharing PDA and smiling at the camera.
Scroll down to see all the celebrities who announced pregnancies in 2025:
Obstetricians have long advised their pregnant patients that Tylenol is the safest option to reduce fever or pain. President Donald Trump stood before a national audience on Sept. 22 and contradicted that.
“Don’t take Tylenol,” Trump said during an hourlong White House press conference that included his leading health appointees. “There’s no downside. Don’t take it. You’ll be uncomfortable. It won’t be as easy, maybe, but don’t take it. If you’re pregnant, don’t take Tylenol.”
His advice has no clear basis in research and contradicts longstanding science and medical guidance. And there are downsides to avoiding acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, when it is needed. Untreated fever during pregnancy can harm a mom and baby, medical experts warn. Untreated pain is a drawback, too.
Trump’s advice is based on the unproven idea that acetaminophen use during pregnancy increases a child’s risk of autism — a stance that he and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the longtime anti-vaccine activist Trump tapped as health secretary, touted throughout their address.
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Although some studies have found that children exposed to acetaminophen during pregnancy were more likely to have autism symptoms or be diagnosed with autism, other studies found no such association. Association is not the same as causation. That means that research showing an association between Tylenol and autism doesn’t mean the medication caused autism.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Sept. 22 press release on the topic said as much.
“It is important to note that while an association between acetaminophen and neurological conditions has been described in many studies, a causal relationship has not been established and there are contrary studies in the scientific literature,” it said. “It is also noted that acetaminophen is the only over-the-counter drug approved for use to treat fevers during pregnancy, and high fevers in pregnant women can pose a risk to their children.”
The White House declined to provide data showing there are no downsides to avoiding Tylenol use. It provided a statement from White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt in which she cited “a connection” between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and autism as the reason for the guidance.
“The Trump Administration does not believe popping more pills is always the answer for better health,” Leavitt said.
Leavitt also shared on X a statement from Dr. Andrea Baccarelli, a dean at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, who said his research “found evidence of an association” between prenatal acetaminophen exposure and neurodevelopmental disorders in children. Baccarelli warned of the risks of high fever and advocated for cautious acetaminophen use during pregnancy — not blanket avoidance.
There’s good reason for that: Acetaminophen is one of few safe options pregnant patients have to treat fever and manage pain.
Trump acknowledged this during the press conference.
“Sadly, first question: What can you take instead?” he said. “There’s not an alternative.” He said that other medicines such as aspirin and Advil “are absolutely proven bad.”
President Donald Trump speaks at the White House, Sept. 22, 2025, alongside others. From left: National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz, Dr. Dorothy Fink, acting assistant secretary for health, and Jackie O’Brien. (AP)
In 2023, the FDA advised that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, which includes common pain relievers such as Advil, Aleve — also known as ibuprofen or naproxen, respectively — and aspirin shouldn’t be used during pregnancy after 20 weeks of gestation.
Those medications aren’t recommended during pregnancy because they could harm fetal development, Dr. Salena Zanotti, an obstetrician and gynecologist,told Cleveland Clinic earlier this year.
Untreated fevers during pregnancy come with their own risks.
In a Sept. 22 statement, Dr. Steven J. Fleischman, ACOG’s president, said the Trump administration’s anti-Tylenol advice sends a “harmful and confusing message” to pregnant patients.
“Maternal fever, headaches as an early sign of preeclampsia, and pain are all managed with the therapeutic use of acetaminophen, making acetaminophen essential to the people who need it,” Fleischman said.
Dr. Christopher Zahn, ACOG’s chief of clinical practice, said pregnant patients should talk with their doctors about the benefits and risks of available treatments. Avoiding treating medical conditions that call for acetaminophen is “far more dangerous than theoretical concerns based on inconclusive reviews of conflicting science,” Zahn said.
Similarly, the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine said that untreated fever and pain during pregnancy carries “significant maternal and infant health risks.”
“Untreated fever, particularly in the first trimester, increases the risk of miscarriage, birth defects, and premature birth, and untreated pain can lead to maternal depression, anxiety, and high blood pressure,” it said.
The research on this goes back more than a decade: A 2014 Pediatrics review of available evidence on fevers during pregnancy found “substantial evidence” that maternal fever might negatively affect fetal health in the short and long term, including increasing the risks of neural tube defects, congenital heart defects and oral clefts.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention alsosaysthatfever during pregnancy has been linked to adverse outcomes including birth defects.
MotherToBaby, a nonprofit organization that provides information about the benefits or risks of medications and other exposures during pregnancy and while breastfeeding, warns that a fever-caused increase in body temperature during early pregnancy carries risks, including a small chance for birth defects. Some studies also found that fevers are associated with increased chances of a child having attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder or autism.
Kenvue, Tylenol’s parent company, said acetaminophen is “the safest pain reliever” option available throughout an entire pregnancy.
“Without it, women face dangerous choices: suffer through conditions like fever that are potentially harmful to both mom and baby or use riskier alternatives,” the company’s statement said. “High fevers and pain are widely recognized as potential risks to a pregnancy if left untreated.”
Tylenol, responding to the news attention on Instagram, cited the ACOG position on acetaminophen use during pregnancy and highlighted a section of the Tylenol label that encourages people who are pregnant or breast feeding to talk to a health professional.
“Your doctor is the best person to advise whether taking medication is right for you based on your specific health needs,” the video said.
Our ruling
Trump said “there’s no downside” to avoiding Tylenol use during pregnancy.
Researchers have long documented health risks associated with untreated fevers during pregnancy. They can lead to increased risk of birth defects and other pregnancy complications, particularly in the first trimester. Untreated pain can lead to maternal depression, anxiety and high blood pressure. These risks outweigh conflicting research into possible links between the drug and autism, according to maternal and fetal health organizations.
Doctors and researchers have found acetaminophen to be a safe pain and fever reducer during pregnancy. By comparison, other over-the-counter pain relievers come with documented risks, making Tylenol one of the only options available to pregnant mothers.
President Donald Trump warned U.S. women to stop taking Tylenol in pregnancy or risk giving their children autism. The advice came with no clear scientific basis during an hourlong press conference as he stood beside the nation’s top health officials, including the anti-vaccine activist he appointed to lead U.S. health policy.
“Taking Tylenol is not good,” Trump said Sept. 22 at the White House with U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. beside him.
Pregnant women have relied on acetaminophen — the active ingredient in Tylenol and other medications — for decades to relieve pain and reduce fever. It’s often the only medication OB-GYNs recommend to their patients experiencing high fevers. Untreated fevers can pose health risks for pregnant women and their developing babies.
As PolitiFact has reported, research so far does not provide conclusive support for Trump’s warning. Some studies have found an association between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and autism prevalence, while others have found none. None of the research has proven it causes autism in children. Autism was first identified in 1943, more than a decade before the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Tylenol for use over-the-counter.
Trump touted the promise of leucovorin in treating autism. The drug is a form of vitamin B9, also known as folate, traditionally used to combat the toxic effects of certain cancer drugs. He also repeated a number of other wrong or misleading statements about autism and vaccines.
Trump: “Since 2000, autism rates have surged by much more than 400%.”
Autism prevalence among children has increased over the years, but Trump’s statement misses important context about the reasons behind the rise, including the increase in autism screening, diagnosis and awareness.
In 2000, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated 1-in-150 8-year-olds had autism. In April, the CDC announced that prevalence had risen to 1-in-31. This represents a roughly 383% increase.
Scientists, including the CDC, have largely attributed the rise to better screening, changes in diagnostic requirements, wider access to services and increased public awareness.
The CDC based its most recent finding on 2022 surveillance data from 16 sites across 15 states and territories. Autism’s prevalence varied widely by location. The report’s 52 authors attributed those inconsistencies to different ways autism is evaluated and identified, the availability of screenings and financial barriers that can limit families’ access to services.
In the mid-1990s, researchers began to see autism as a condition that presents in a broad spectrum of symptoms with varying degrees of severity. By 2013, clinicians formally adopted a single autism spectrum disorder diagnosis that includes people with a range of treatment needs.
Autism advocates have raised awareness of the condition. As more services have become available to autistic children, families increasingly seek out formal testing. A child’s autism spectrum disorder diagnosis makes special education services more accessible and insurance coverage more likely.
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Trump: “There are certain groups of people that don’t take vaccines and don’t take any pills that have no autism,” including the Amish and Cubans.
We rated a similar claim about the Amish Pants on Fire in 2023. Studies have documented cases of autism among Amish children.
The Amish, a Christian group known for rejecting modern conveniences and technological innovation, tend to have lower-than-average vaccination rates. However, some still vaccinate their children, with rates varying among settlements and different vaccines.
University of Maryland genetic epidemiologist Braxton Mitchell, who has studied Lancaster, Pennsylvania’s large Amish communities, previously told PolitiFact that childhood vaccines, which include shots for rotavirus, polio, tetanus and whooping cough, are more accepted among Amish people than other vaccines.
Trump also said “there’s a rumor” that Cubans don’t have Tylenol and “have virtually no autism.”
Hepatitis B can be transmitted sexually, but it’s not the only way. It can be spread through direct contact with blood or from a mother to child during delivery. More mundane household contact can also result in transmission. Small amounts of dried blood on innocuous household items such as nail clippers, razors or toothbrushes could be enough.
Around half of people with hepatitis B are unaware they are infected and contagious. The vaccine dose is given to newborns within 24 hours of delivery because hepatitis B infections are extra dangerous for babies. Infected infants have a 90% chance of developing the disease’s more dangerous chronic form, which can cause cirrhosis and liver cancer. A quarter of those babies will go on to die prematurely from the disease when they become adults.
Trump: “Don’t take Tylenol. There’s no downside…don’t take it if you’re pregnant.”
This is wrong. Acetaminophen reduces fever, and feverduring pregnancy has been linked to birth defects and other health problems.
Doctors have alsosaid that abstaining from needed medication could leave pregnant women in a negative emotional and mental state with worsening underlying conditions.
Trump: “Now, you know what mercury is, you know what aluminum is. Who the hell wants that pumped into a body?”
Vaccine critics often cite aluminum and mercury as problematic vaccine ingredients. But these blanket statements leave out important details about the chemistry and the quantity used. Health officials warn pregnant and breastfeeding women against consuming too much mercury, which can be found in seafood in safe and hazardous levels. But those warnings are about methylmercury, which is different from the kind of mercury used in vaccines.
Thimerosal, a preservative that prevents bacteria and fungal growth in multi-dose influenza vaccine vials, contains ethylmercury. Unlike methylmercury, which can accumulate and cause harm, ethylmercury is broken down by the body and excreted quickly making it less likely to cause harm.
Thimerosal was removed from most vaccines, including all childhood vaccines, as of 2001, according to the CDC. Numerous scientific studies have found no link between thimerosal and autism.
Some vaccines contain a small amount of aluminium to enhance the body’s immune response. Although large amounts of aluminum can be harmful, vaccines contain less aluminum than infants get from their natural surroundings.
According to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, babies get about 4.4 mg of aluminum from vaccines in their first six months; they get around 7 mg from breastmilk and around 38 mg from formula in the same time.
Trump: Questioning how vaccines are administered to children, “Maybe it’s the doctors they get, maybe more money.”
Trump advocated for childhood vaccines to be split up into multiple doses — a practice that exists for most childhood vaccines. As he spoke, he questioned if doctors have a financial incentive when it comes to administering vaccines.
A close look at the process by which vaccines are administered shows pediatric practices make little profit — and sometimes lose money — on vaccines.
Pediatric practices might make money providing vaccines to privately-insured children, but many also participate in a program that vaccinates children for free. Overall, most practices likely break even or lose money.
Doctors told us that evidence-based science and medicine and a desire to keep kids healthy drives doctors’ childhood vaccination recommendations.
Staff Writer Madison Czopek contributed to this report.
President Trump on Monday suggested a possible link between the use of acetaminophen during pregnancy and an increased risk of autism in children. Dr. Ann Bauer, co-author of a study that examined acetaminophen use during pregnancy, explains why more research is needed. Then, Dr. Veronica Gillispie-Bell, a board-certified OBGYN, joins to unpack the news.
