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Time of India
5 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Increased miscarriage risk in US linked to THIS everyday chemical. What pregnant women can do
Increased miscarriages after exposure to this chemical? Live Events What experts recommend for pregnant women? (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Researchers have found that exposure to a certain chemical has specifically increased the risk of recurrent miscarriages in women in the US. A new study has shed light that exposure to certain frequently used chemicals, classified as human carcinogens, may increase the risk of recurring miscarriage, reports researchers have found that exposure to four different types of PFAS chemicals , also known as "forever chemicals," were associated with higher risks of "unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion". This means recurrent miscarriage in women where the cause is not though recurrent miscarriages are not common in US, with five in 100 women estimated to have two miscarriages in a row, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified PFAS chemicals, or per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances, as a Group 1 carcinogen—with studies since finding the chemicals can cause a wide range of effects on public identified thousands of variations of PFAS chemicals, but found that exposure to PFBA, PFDoDA, PFHpS, and PFHxS in particular was linked to a higher risk of recurrent chemicals, used for decades across multiple industries, are present in everyday consumer products including nonstick cookware, waterproof clothing, stain-resistant furniture, and even smartwatch researchers in the study said "specific clinical manifestations complicates both diagnosis and treatment" in unexplained recurrent miscarriage. They added that the lack of understanding posed "significant challenges to clinical management and contributes to heightened psychological burden among patients."In the sample, 110 had experienced explained recurrent miscarriage, while 91 were control subjects, and there were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of age, body mass index, occupation or income. And those who had experienced unexplained recurrent miscarriage had higher concentrations of PFAS in their blood samples than those in the control revealed that four chemicals- PFBA, PFDoDA, PFHpS and PFHxS- have positive associations with unexplained recurrent miscarriage."We already know that PFAS are associated with preterm birth, low birth weight, reproductive toxicity, preeclampsia, decreased fertility, and single occurrence of miscarriage," Phil Brown, a professor of sociology and health sciences and the director of the Social Science Environmental Health Research Institute at Northeastern University, told said PFAS were also "associated with gestational diabetes, which in turn leads to a number of harmful outcomes such as preeclampsia and preterm birth."Jennifer L. Freeman, a professor of toxicology at Purdue University, Indiana, also told Newsweek that the study added to "those similarly reporting increased risk of adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes with PFAS exposures," but that more research was needed to learn about "this potential association."While it is yet to be clear how PFAS chemicals may be contributing to recurrent miscarriages, Graham Peaslee, a professor of physics at University of Notre Dame, Indiana said, "PFAS have been shown to be endocrine disrupting chemicals in previous published work." He added, "If a chemical interferes with reproductive organ functions, the endocrine system, then spontaneous miscarriages are one of the unfortunate results."Brown noted that while further research is necessary to understand how PFAS exposure may contribute to adverse pregnancy outcomes, the study's findings could 'shape care for pregnant women in the future,' especially when it comes to blood testing."Blood testing is recommended for people with a history of elevated exposure to PFAS," he said, citing the PFAS committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM)."That could be from local industry, contaminated food and water, personal care products, household products, and workplace exposure," he noted that pregnant women can take several steps in light of these findings. One is to ask their healthcare providers to learn about PFAS, order PFAS blood tests, and advocate for mandated health insurance coverage for such PFAS contamination in drinking water is also critical. Brown encouraged expectant mothers to press local water utilities to keep PFAS levels as low as possible in accordance with state and federal guidelines. Installing water filters designed to remove PFAS can further help, along with being mindful of personal consumption habits—avoiding products that contain these chemicals whenever emphasized the importance of recognizing PFAS exposure through food and suggested opting for consumer and food products with fewer PFAS to minimize risk. Peaslee added that, given the wide range of adverse health effects linked to PFAS, everyone—especially those who are pregnant or planning pregnancy—should take steps to limit Brown stressed that while individuals can reduce personal risk, the most effective approach is 'upstream source reduction,' ensuring harmful exposures are prevented at the source rather than placing the responsibility on individuals.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Exposure to 'forever chemicals' before birth linked to higher blood pressure in kids
Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) -- toxic chemicals found in products like nonstick pans and personal care items -- can linger in the body for up to 20 years, earning them the nickname "forever chemicals," professor and lead study author Mingyu Zhang of Harvard Medical School told ABC News. Forever chemicals have come under growing scrutiny in recent years because they build up in the body and may trigger health problems, according to a growing body of research. In this new study, Zhang and his team found that when babies were exposed in the womb to specific types of forever chemicals -- PFDeA, PFNA, and PFUnA -- they had higher systolic blood pressure (the top number in a blood pressure reading) later in life, possibly because these chemicals can cross the placenta during pregnancy and affect early development. MORE: How PFAS are entering America's water supply "PFAS exposure in the womb can affect fetal growth. There may be potential mechanisms that involve inflammation and oxidative stress that can cause PFAS' long-term health-related changes to blood pressure," Zhang said. The risk does not affect all children equally. The association was stronger for teens, boys and Black children. In boys, higher exposure to the forever chemical PFDeA was linked to a 9% greater risk of high blood pressure from ages 6 to 12, and a 17% greater risk during the teen years. Zhang cites previous studies showing that boys could be more sensitive to environmental pollutants due to slower removal rates of toxins from the body and higher rates of buildup. When it comes to the effect on older children, Zhang speculated that because PFAS stay in the body for so long, it may take longer for their effects to take hold. Children of Black mothers showed stronger links between PFAS exposure and high blood pressure, which the authors feel may reflect the combined impact of systemic racism, housing segregation and greater environmental exposure. "We know that due to historic reasons, Black and Hispanic communities face a higher burden of environmental pollutants," he says. Some of the forever chemicals -- including PFHpS, PFOS, and PFOA -- were linked to lower diastolic blood pressure in early childhood, the study found. That's the lower number in a blood pressure reading reflecting when the heart rests between beats. But as kids got older, the effect faded and may have even reversed -- these same chemicals were possibly tied to higher diastolic pressure in adolescence. MORE: EPA announces limits on some 'forever chemicals,' but just a fraction are covered Zhang said that these findings matter because children with high blood pressure are much more likely to carry it into adulthood, raising their long-term risk for heart disease, stroke, and kidney problems. Early-life blood pressure patterns can set the stage for serious health issues later on, he noted. He called for more research into the health effects of forever chemicals as well as policies that focus on reducing their use. "Meaningful change to reduce PFAS exposure in our daily life requires policy-level change on the state and federal levels," he said. "This will really help the health of children for generations to come." Dr. Adeiyewunmi (Ade) Osinubi is an emergency medicine resident physician at the University of Pennsylvania and is a member of the ABC News Medical Unit. Exposure to 'forever chemicals' before birth linked to higher blood pressure in kids originally appeared on
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Exposure to 'forever chemicals' before birth linked to higher blood pressure in kids
Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) -- toxic chemicals found in products like nonstick pans and personal care items -- can linger in the body for up to 20 years, earning them the nickname "forever chemicals," Professor and lead study author Mingyu Zhang of Harvard Medical School told ABC News. Forever chemicals have come under growing scrutiny in recent years because they build up in the body and may trigger health problems, according to a growing body of research. In this new study, Zhang and his team found that when babies were exposed in the womb to specific types of forever chemicals -- PFDeA, PFNA, and PFUnA -- they had higher systolic blood pressure (the top number in a blood pressure reading) later in life, possibly because these chemicals can cross the placenta during pregnancy and affect early development. MORE: How PFAS are entering America's water supply "PFAS exposure in the womb can affect fetal growth. There may be potential mechanisms that involve inflammation and oxidative stress that can cause PFAS' long term health related changes to blood pressure," Zhang said. The risk does not affect all children equally. The association was stronger for teens, boys and Black children. In boys, higher exposure to the forever chemical PFDeA was linked to a 9% greater risk of high blood pressure from ages 6 to 12, and a 17% greater risk during the teen years. Zhang cites previous studies showing that boys could be more sensitive to environmental pollutants due to slower removal rates of toxins from the body and higher rates of buildup. When it comes to the effect on older children, Zhang speculated that because PFAS stay in the body for so long, it may take longer for their effects to take hold. Children of Black mothers showed stronger links between PFAS exposure and high blood pressure, which the authors feel may reflect the combined impact of systemic racism, housing segregation and greater environmental exposure. "We know that due to historic reasons, Black and Hispanic communities face a higher burden of environmental pollutants," he says. Some of the forever chemicals -- including PFHpS, PFOS, and PFOA -- were linked to lower diastolic blood pressure in early childhood, the study found. That's the lower number in a blood pressure reading reflecting when the heart rests between beats. But as kids got older, the effect faded and may have even reversed -- these same chemicals were possibly tied to higher diastolic pressure in adolescence. MORE: EPA announces limits on some 'forever chemicals,' but just a fraction are covered Zhang said that these findings matter because children with high blood pressure are much more likely to carry it into adulthood, raising their long-term risk for heart disease, stroke, and kidney problems. Early-life blood pressure patterns can set the stage for serious health issues later on, he noted. He called for more research into the health effects of forever chemicals as well as policies that focus on reducing their use. "Meaningful change to reduce PFAS exposure in our daily life requires policy level change on state and federal levels," he said. "This will really help the health of children for generations to come." Dr. Adeiyewunmi (Ade) Osinubi is an emergency medicine resident physician at the University of Pennsylvania and is a member of the ABC News Medical Unit. Exposure to 'forever chemicals' before birth linked to higher blood pressure in kids originally appeared on
