PFAS Found in the Follicular Fluid of IVF Patients
NonToxCo Research
Science & Safety Team · 4/8/2026
Doctors found PFAS in the fluid surrounding eggs inside the ovaries of women undergoing IVF. Legacy PFAS and newer "replacement" PFAS. Both were there.
Forever Chemicals Where Eggs Develop
A 2026 study in Reprod Toxicol tested follicular fluid from IVF patients in North Carolina. Follicular fluid is the liquid that surrounds and nourishes a developing egg. The researchers detected both legacy PFAS (the ones we've known about for years) and emerging PFAS (the newer replacements that companies switched to).
This is the first study to document both types of PFAS in follicular fluid in a U.S. cohort. The chemicals were measurable in the exact environment where human eggs grow and mature.
Why This Is a Problem for Fertility
Follicular fluid plays a direct role in egg quality and fertilization. PFAS are endocrine disruptors. Having them present where eggs develop raises real concerns about whether these chemicals affect egg quality, embryo development, and IVF success rates.
Women going through IVF are already dealing with fertility challenges. Learning that forever chemicals have reached the fluid around their eggs adds another layer to the problem.
What You Can Do
Reduce your PFAS exposure wherever possible: ditch nonstick cookware, filter your drinking water, avoid stain-resistant and water-resistant treated products. If you're trying to conceive, these changes matter even more. Explore non-toxic home essentials for safer everyday swaps.
Also see non-toxic kitchen essentials for safer alternatives.