Although you ultimately have the final say, two Door County Medical Center doctors are following the lead of other medical organizations regarding the use of acetaminophen.

On Monday, the Trump Administration linked acetaminophen, commonly known as Tylenol, to the country's rising autism rates. The studies cited by the White House showed an association between the two, but not a causation. The Food and Drug Administration has already begun the process of adding autism warnings to products that contain the drug, often used as a pain reliever and fever reducer.

The American Academy of Pediatrics, the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, and the  American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists have all made statements regarding the announcement, all agreeing that acetaminophen is safe for children and pregnant mothers when taken as directed. They also refuted the assertion that there is a link between autism and acetaminophen.

Door County Medical Center Pediatrician Dr. Shane Colvin says he tries to make recommendations based on the best interest of the health of the pregnant mother and the child, and he believes the risk/reward of using acetaminophen as a treatment is in favor of using the medicine correctly after having a conversation with your doctor.

Dr. Elizabeth Gaida agrees with Colvin and the ACOG and SMFM, the largest organizations of obstetricians and perinatologists in the United States. She says there is "real harm in not treating fevers or pain in pregnancy," and she fears that pregnant women will resort to other over-the-counter medicines such as ibuprofen or naprosyn. "We do have good evidence and biologic mechanism of action data that those medications are harmful to a developing fetus," Gaida added.

In addition to its new guidance on acetaminophen, the White House also advocated the use of leucovorin to be used for children showing autistic symptoms and funneled more than $50 million into 13 projects through the National Institutes of Health for autism research.