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A Project of The Annenberg Public Policy Center

Taking Folic Acid, Not Other Folates, Is Recommended to Reduce Risk of Birth Defects

Taking Folic Acid, Not Other Folates, Is Recommended to Reduce Risk of Birth Defects

A folic acid supplement is recommended during pregnancy and prior to conception because it reduces the risk of neural tube defects in babies. Social media posts have claimed that people should avoid folic acid in favor of a different form of the vitamin, but folic acid is the only one that has been established to help prevent birth defects.

Limited Evidence of a Link Between Acetaminophen and Autism or ADHD

Limited Evidence of a Link Between Acetaminophen and Autism or ADHD

Q: Is the use of acetaminophen during pregnancy linked to autism or ADHD?

A: There is currently no strong evidence that acetaminophen use during pregnancy causes autism or ADHD in children. Expert groups continue to recommend use of the drug during pregnancy when necessary and in consultation with a doctor.

Moisture-Absorbent Tablet in Pregnancy Tests, Not ‘Hidden Plan B’ Pill

Moisture-Absorbent Tablet in Pregnancy Tests, Not ‘Hidden Plan B’ Pill

Pregnancy tests contain a desiccant tablet to absorb moisture and keep the test dry before use. But posts on social media falsely claim the tablet is a “hidden plan B” pill. Companies that produce pregnancy tests include a warning on their websites not to consume the desiccant tablets inside. 

COVID-19 Vaccines Reduce, Not Increase, Risk of Stillbirth

COVID-19 Vaccines Reduce, Not Increase, Risk of Stillbirth

There is no link between COVID-19 vaccination and an increased risk of stillbirth, despite such claims online. In fact, vaccination has been shown in multiple studies to reduce the risk of stillbirth by protecting pregnant people and their babies from the coronavirus.

Doctor Makes False Claim About Stillbirths in Canadian Hospitals

Doctor Makes False Claim About Stillbirths in Canadian Hospitals

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends COVID-19 vaccines for pregnant people, and the World Health Organization says the vaccines are safe for them. Yet online articles cite a Canadian doctor who falsely claims that the vaccines have caused an unusually high number of stillbirths in Canadian hospitals. A hospital representative told us there was “no truth to this claim.”

CDC Data Thus Far Show COVID-19 Vaccination Safe During Pregnancy

CDC Data Thus Far Show COVID-19 Vaccination Safe During Pregnancy

Federal vaccine monitoring systems have identified no safety concerns with the COVID-19 vaccines for pregnant people. Preliminary Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data show that miscarriage is not more frequent than expected in vaccinated people. Online posts, however, falsely contend that such data, as reported in a CDC publication, show an 82% miscarriage rate.

Evidence Points to Safety of COVID-19 Vaccines for Pregnant People

Evidence Points to Safety of COVID-19 Vaccines for Pregnant People

Clinical trials and medical studies have indicated that the COVID-19 vaccines are safe for pregnant people. But online posts misrepresent unverified reports submitted to vaccine monitoring systems in the U.S. and Europe to misleadingly suggest “920 women” lost babies because they received COVID-19 vaccines.

No Evidence Vaccines Impact Fertility

No Evidence Vaccines Impact Fertility

Q: Do the COVID-19 vaccines cause infertility?
A: There’s no evidence that approved vaccines cause fertility loss. Although clinical trials did not study the issue, loss of fertility has not been reported among thousands of trial participants nor confirmed as an adverse event among millions who have been vaccinated.