In Kenya, pregnancy is often shadowed by whispered fears about what is safe and what is not.

Every pill, every sip of herbal tea, and every injection is questioned, sometimes more out of rumour than fact. This is why drug safety in pregnancy cannot remain a mystery wrapped in speculation. It must be explained, demystified and grounded in science.

The latest debate around paracetamol, one of the most widely used medicines globally, exposes how quickly misinformation can take root.

Expectant mothers have been left anxious, some afraid to take even the simplest remedy for fever or pain, while conflicting headlines swirl around them. Yet, the Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB), Kenya’s medicines regulator, has now reassured the public: paracetamol remains safe for use in pregnancy, provided it is taken at the correct dose and under professional guidance.

Cutting through the noise

The PPB’s intervention came after international controversy was reignited by former US President Donald Trump, who advised pregnant women to avoid acetaminophen (Tylenol in the US). He also questioned childhood vaccines, adding fuel to long-discredited claims that risk pushing parents into dangerous choices.

It is telling that global health leaders, from the World Health Organisation to the UK’s health secretary, rushed to counter those statements. Their message was consistent: there is no conclusive evidence linking paracetamol use in pregnancy to autism or ADHD. Regulators in the UK, Europe and Australia even warned that untreated pain and fever during pregnancy can be more harmful to the unborn child than the medicine itself.

Here at home, the PPB’s Pharmacovigilance Division has not received any reports linking paracetamol to such conditions in Kenya. The regulator insists it will continue monitoring all medicines used during pregnancy. But its statement also carried a critical reminder—drug safety is not just about availability; it is about responsible use.

Safe use is shared responsibility

The board has now issued public guidelines. Expectant mothers are urged to take paracetamol only when necessary, in the correct dose and for the shortest time possible. Most importantly, they should avoid self-medicating and seek professional advice before using any drug, however common.

Healthcare providers, on their part, have been called upon to counsel patients. This is essential, because in the absence of clear conversations, myths fill the void. Too many women are left navigating conflicting information alone, torn between fear of harming their babies and fear of untreated symptoms.

International medical bodies back this approach. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists continues to recommend paracetamol as the safest first-line option for fever and pain during pregnancy. The Society for Maternal-Foetal Medicine echoes this, noting that while overuse can cause liver damage, it has nothing to do with autism.

When fear overshadows science

Pregnancy is already an emotionally heavy journey, full of anxieties about diet, health and the baby’s wellbeing. Introducing unverified claims only magnifies those fears. A headache becomes a moral dilemma; a fever becomes a battle between rumours and medical advice.

This is precisely why Kenya must not leave the public to sift through speculation. Demystifying drug safety is not just about science; it is about protecting mental health, reducing stigma, and ensuring no mother is forced into dangerous alternatives because she doubted mainstream medicine.

Science should always speak louder than politics. If we fail to uphold that, mothers will continue to suffer in silence, afraid to seek safe treatment. The PPB’s message is simple yet profound: paracetamol remains safe in pregnancy when used responsibly.

Kenya must keep repeating this clarity until every mother feels empowered, not paralysed, by information. Because when it comes to pregnancy, fear should never be the prescription.