PFAS found to damage fetal development, posing long-term health risks “long before birth”

12 Jan 2024 --- PFAS may impact human health as early as the fetal stage of development, according to a team of researchers from Örebro University, Sweden, and the University of Aberdeen, Scotland.

The study, published in the Lancet Planetary Health represents an advancement in the understanding of the long-term effects of PFAS exposure.

Professor Paul Fowler from the University of Aberdeen says: “We found PFAS in the livers of the fetuses, and unfortunately, the results provide strong evidence that exposure to these forever chemicals in the womb affects the unborn child. Those exposed to higher levels of PFAS have altered metabolism and liver function long before birth.”

PFAS are a group of thousands of synthetically produced chemicals used in a wide range of everyday products worldwide.

These chemicals have been used since the 1950s in products including non-stick frying pans, ski boots, water-repellent clothing, food packaging, makeup and skin creams.

PFAS exposure on fetal development
The study, which involved 78 fetuses, marks an effort in metabolic profiling and measuring PFAS in human fetuses.

The results show direct evidence for the in-utero effects of perfluoroalkyl exposure on specific key hepatic products. The metabolic changes observed in these fetuses are akin to those seen in perinatal perfluoroalkyl exposures, known to enhance susceptibility to metabolic diseases.

“We were surprised by these chemicals’ strong association with changes to the fetal metabolism. It’s similar to certain metabolic changes occurring in adults. Specifically, we found that PFAS exposure is linked with modified bile acid and lipid metabolism in the fetuses,” remarks Tuulia Hyötyläinen, professor of chemistry at Örebro University.

The study correlates the presence of PFAS with changes typical of metabolic diseases like diabetes and fatty liver. The 78 fetuses analyzed, voluntarily aborted between weeks 12 and 19 and deemed essentially healthy, exhibited signs of these conditions.

Professor Matej Orešič, who also participated in this research at Örebro University, elaborates: “Changes in the central metabolism can profoundly affect the whole body. In particular, changes during fetal development can have long-lasting consequences for future health.” 

PFAS exposure is likely to lead to low birth weight and obesity in later life.“A connection is very likely. And it may turn out that exposure to harmful chemicals has a comparable or even greater impact than lifestyle when it comes to certain diseases.”

Raising healthy children
Previous studies have also indicated that exposure to PFAS begins early and continues postnatally. While some PFAS types have been banned in the EU, regulations in developing countries remain lax. 

Infants are currently exposed to these chemicals through breastfeeding and infant formula, with higher levels of PFAS found in breast milk in developing countries compared to standard drinking water levels in places such as the US, according to an earlier study. This exposure potentially leads to elevated PFAS levels in the blood from birth.

Meanwhile, a Norwegian study presented at last year’s Annual European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology Meeting revealed a connection between PFAS found in everyday products and delayed puberty in children.

The geographical disparity in PFAS distribution is stark, particularly in developing countries where the abundance of these substances results in higher bodily concentrations. In those regions, the rates of childhood obesity and diabetes have surged, a trend that researchers believe may be partially attributed to PFAS and other environmental chemicals.

By Sichong Wang