Environmental contaminants are chemicals around us that are naturally occurring or man-made—they can build up in the body over time and disrupt hormones. One group of widespread environmental contaminants, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) can cross from a pregnant woman to her baby through the placenta. While pollution from PFAS has been reported in central Arkansas, information on PFAS exposure in people living here, including pregnant women is lacking.
In this study, Dr. Aline Andres and her team at the ACNC collected blood samples from pregnant women in central Arkansas during each trimester from 2010 to 2014 to measure their PFAS levels. Six types of PFAS were detected in 70% of the women’s samples.
Higher levels of PFAS were linked to lower levels of total cholesterol and triglycerides, as well as low-density lipoproteins (LDL-cholesterol) and high-density lipoproteins (HDL-cholesterol). PFAS exposure was also associated with a slightly lower pulse rate in the mothers. There was no overall effect of PFAS on diastolic blood pressure, however some specific types of PFAS showed an association with higher blood pressure.
This was the first study to measure PFAS exposure in pregnant women in central Arkansas, which helps scientists establish a reference point and understand potential ranges of typical exposures. Results suggest that more research is needed to figure out the full effects of PFAS during pregnancy and how to help protect mothers and babies from these chemicals by limiting their exposure.
Read the full manuscript here: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12042336/