No link seen between male circumcision and autism

Neonatal male circumcision (NMC) does not increase the likelihood of a later autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis, according to U.S. researchers.

Two observational studies, one in 2013 and another in 2015, suggested a potential link between NMC and ASD, leading to speculation that the pain of circumcision or the administration of acetaminophen during the procedure could be responsible. To investigate this question further, Monica McGrath and colleagues analyzed data collected on 2,771 boys at 14 sites around the United States. Of this cohort, 66% were circumcised within a month after birth, and 7% had an autism diagnosis based on parental report of a clinician diagnosis or validated assessments. The researchers report, “Among 1,840 circumcised males, 108 (6%) had autism, compared with 84 of 931 uncircumcised males (9%).” After adjusting for other factors, they found no correlation between circumcision and ASD. Acetaminophen use was uncommon in the neonatal period, they add, “further suggesting that an acetaminophen-mediated pathway linking NMC to ASD is unlikely.”

“These findings,” they say, may provide reassurance for families considering NMC and those who have already elected to have NMC for their child.”

Citations

“Neonatal medical male circumcision and child autism diagnosis,” Monica McGrath, Xiuhong Li, Lisa P. Jacobson, Bennett Leventhal, Judy L. Aschner, Brennan Baker, Karla Cardoso Garcia, Aisha S. Dickerson, Amy J. Elliott, Jody Ganiban, Amanda Goodrich, Daniel B. Horton, Melinda Jarnecke, Sarah Keim, Brian K. Lee, Courtney D. Lynch, Mark Klebanoff, Abdul Manaf Mutaru, Ruby H. N. Nguyen, Rebecca J. Schmidt, Hyeong-Moo Shin, Lauren C. Shuffrey, Jonathan L. Slaughter, Annemarie Stroustrup, Zhaozhong Zhu, Aaron A. R. Tobian, and M. Kate Grabowski, for the ECHO Cohort Consortium, JAMA Pediatrics, August 3, 2026. Address: Monica McGrath, Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N Wolfe St., Baltimore, MD 21205, [email protected].

—and—

“Study: Male circumcision just after birth does not increase autism risk,” news release, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, August 4, 2026.