Chemicals in everyday products might make it harder to get pregnant
Exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances and women's fertility outcomes in a Singaporean population-based preconception cohort.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
PFDA, a lesser-known PFAS, was the strongest predictor of reduced fertility—not PFOA or PFOS, which are more widely studied.
Most public concern and regulation has focused on PFOA and PFOS, but this study suggests PFDA may be even more damaging to fertility.
Practical Takeaways
Reduce use of non-stick cookware, grease-resistant food packaging, and waterproof fabrics to lower PFAS exposure.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
PFDA, a lesser-known PFAS, was the strongest predictor of reduced fertility—not PFOA or PFOS, which are more widely studied.
Most public concern and regulation has focused on PFOA and PFOS, but this study suggests PFDA may be even more damaging to fertility.
Practical Takeaways
Reduce use of non-stick cookware, grease-resistant food packaging, and waterproof fabrics to lower PFAS exposure.
Publication
Journal
The Science of the total environment
Year
2023
Authors
N. Cohen, Meizhen Yao, V. Midya, Sandra India-Aldana, Tomer Mouzica, S. Andra, Srinivasan Narasimhan, Anil K. Meher, M. Arora, J. Chan, Shiao-Yng Chan, S. Loy, L. Mínguez‐Alarcón, Y. Oulhote, Jonathan Y Huang, D. Valvi
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Claims (6)
These man-made chemicals stick around in the environment and in our bodies, and they might be harming our health — possibly leading to problems like trouble having kids, birth issues, liver disease, weak immune systems, and even cancer.
Some 'safer' types of forever chemicals, like PFHpA, might make it harder for women to get pregnant each month — every higher level of these chemicals in the body is linked to an 8% lower chance of conceiving.
If women in Singapore have more PFAS chemicals in their blood before getting pregnant, they might be a bit less likely to get pregnant each month — about 5 to 10% less with higher exposure.
If people are exposed to a mix of certain 'forever chemicals' like PFOS and PFOA, they may have a harder time getting pregnant or having a baby, and the more they're exposed, the stronger this effect might be.
If a woman is exposed to higher levels of a chemical called PFDA, it might be harder for her to get pregnant — each step up in exposure is linked to lower chances of pregnancy, and this chemical could be one of the main reasons why these types of pollutants affect fertility.