Can PFAS from nonstick cookware increase gestational diabetes risk during pregnancy?

What's actually in it

Nonstick pans, stain-resistant fabrics, grease-proof food wrappers, and water-resistant clothing all contain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). These are sometimes called "forever chemicals" because they don't break down in the environment or in your body. They build up in your blood over years of exposure.

Pregnant women carry PFAS from every source they've ever been exposed to. The chemicals cross the placenta, so the baby is exposed too. PFAS are known to interfere with metabolism, liver function, and hormone regulation.

What the research says

A 2026 study in Diabetes Care looked at PFAS levels in pregnant women across the ECHO cohort, one of the largest studies of environmental chemicals and child health in the United States. Women with higher PFAS blood levels had a greater risk of developing gestational diabetes.

Gestational diabetes affects how your body processes sugar during pregnancy. It can lead to larger babies, difficult deliveries, and a higher chance that both mother and child develop type 2 diabetes later in life.

The study measured several types of PFAS and found that the risk wasn't tied to just one chemical. It was the overall PFAS burden that mattered. Since these chemicals come from cookware, food packaging, drinking water, and clothing all at once, cutting exposure from just one source may not be enough. Switching to PFAS-free cookware and avoiding grease-proof food wrappers are two places to start.