Can PFAS exposure during pregnancy cause rapid catch-up growth in babies?

What's actually in it

Pregnant women absorb PFAS from nonstick cookware, stain-resistant furniture, waterproof clothing, fast-food wrappers, and tap water contaminated by industrial runoff. These chemicals cross the placenta, so the baby is exposed too. PFAS build up in the body because they break down very slowly.

Babies born smaller than expected sometimes "catch up" in weight very quickly after birth. That sounds like a good thing, but rapid catch-up growth in infancy is actually linked to higher rates of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease later in life.

What the research says

A 2026 prospective cohort study in Environ Int followed babies from before birth through early childhood. The researchers measured PFAS levels in mothers' blood during pregnancy and tracked how the babies grew after delivery.

Babies with higher prenatal PFAS exposure were more likely to be born smaller than normal. But here's the twist: those same babies then gained weight faster than expected in the first months of life. This rapid catch-up growth pattern is a red flag for metabolic problems down the road.

The study found a dose-response relationship. Higher PFAS levels in the mother's blood meant a greater chance of this unhealthy growth pattern in the baby. Several types of PFAS were involved, including PFOS, PFOA, and PFHxS.

Pregnant women can lower their PFAS exposure by using stainless steel or cast iron cookware, filtering tap water with an activated carbon or reverse osmosis system, and avoiding stain-resistant treatments on clothing and furniture.