Did a Pregnant Woman Really Overdose on Tylenol to "Prove It's Safe?"

The world exploded in debate after President Donald Trump announced his controversial statements about the risk of using acetaminophen, especially that produced by the manufacturer Tylenol, during pregnancy.

According to Trump's claims, taking acetaminophen during pregnancy raises the risk of the baby developing autism, and women should avoid it, which experts at the Cleveland Clinic and elsewhere have disputed.

Soon after, a rumor began circulating that a pregnant woman had overdosed on Tylenol in an effort to prove Trump wrong and show that it was safe to take.

But did it really happen? Here's what we know.

Shortly after President Trump made his announcement linking acetaminophen, and specifically the manufacturer Tylenol, to autism risk among pregnant mothers, a rumor began spreading that a young mother had overdosed on Tylenol in a quest to prove it safe.

The source of that rumor seems to be a former nurse known as Nicole Sirotek.

Sirotek has been caught in controversies before, and The American Society of Registered Nurses notes that her nursing licenses expired after she was unable to find work following controversial statements about COVID and vaccines.

And it would seem that the rumor about the pregnant woman overdosing on Tylenol was just that, another rumor. Snopes notes that it seems unfounded and has not been corroborated by any reputable sources.

As far as we're aware, no woman has overdosed on Tylenol in an effort to prove it safe following Trump's controversial statements about the risks of acetaminophen and the manufacturer Tylenol. Tylenol, Harvard Health notes, is considered safe and effective.

Tylenol has long been considered one of the safest medicines in the medicine cabinet. It's used for a wide variety of ailments, including pain and fever.

And through decades of study, acetaminophen has stood the test of time and the rigors of science to remain a trusted medication for use in a wide variety of populations, from the very young to the very old.

But can you actually overdose on it? The answer is: yes. Like every substance on Earth, the dose makes the poison, and you can overdose on Tylenol just like you can overdose on water or oxygen. And yes, both of those are real. UMass Memorial Health discusses the risks of oxygen toxicity here, while Cleveland Clinic discusses the risks of water toxicity here.

So, with that in mind, here's what we know about Tylenol overdose. Mount Sinai Icahn School of Medicine reports that not only can people overdose on acetaminophen, but it's one of the most common overdoses out there, perhaps due to its omnipresent nature in people's homes.

Mount Sinai notes the recommended safe dosages and adds that it is considered safe and effective when taken within those dose ranges.

Adults and children should always consult their physician about the proper dosing for their situation and ensure that they are tracking the doses they take to avoid taking too much. Furthermore, people should not take medical advice from the internet, and that includes believing rumors that come from non-reputable sources intended to fear-monger. Stick to experts, only.

Mount Sinai also adds that if treatment is received within 8 hours of an acetaminophen overdose, the patient's prognosis is usually good.