Can PFAS exposure during pregnancy cause weight gain or gestational diabetes?

What's actually in it

PFAS are absorbed daily from nonstick cookware, food packaging, stain-resistant fabrics, and contaminated water. During pregnancy, the body's metabolism shifts dramatically to support the growing baby. PFAS interfere with this metabolic shift because they disrupt thyroid hormones, insulin signaling, and fat metabolism.

Gestational weight gain needs to fall in a specific range. Too little or too much is associated with complications for both mother and baby.

What the research says

A 2026 study in Environ Int measured PFAS concentrations in pregnant women's blood early in pregnancy and tracked their weight gain patterns and glucose metabolism through delivery.

Women with higher levels of PFOS and PFHxS were more likely to experience excessive gestational weight gain, particularly fat accumulation rather than healthy fluid and tissue weight. They also showed signs of insulin resistance earlier in pregnancy, a precursor to gestational diabetes.

PFAS disrupted the normal metabolic adjustments of pregnancy by interfering with PPAR receptors, which control how the body stores and burns fat. When these receptors malfunction, the body stores more fat and handles blood sugar less efficiently.

Excessive weight gain during pregnancy increases the risk of cesarean delivery, large-for-gestational-age babies, and long-term obesity in both mother and child. Gestational diabetes raises the risk of type 2 diabetes after pregnancy.

Reducing PFAS exposure before and during pregnancy through safer cookware, filtered water, and uncoated food packaging can help your body manage pregnancy metabolism more normally.