Can PFOA from nonstick cookware and food packaging increase the risk of miscarriage?

What's actually in it

PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) was used in the manufacture of Teflon and other nonstick coatings. It's been phased out in the US but persists in the environment, in food packaging, and in older cookware. It also accumulates in people's bodies for years after exposure stops. PFOA blood levels remain detectable in most Americans.

Macrophages are immune cells that play a critical role in uterine lining preparation and embryo implantation. For a pregnancy to succeed, macrophages must properly prepare the uterine environment in the days after conception. PFOA disrupts macrophage metabolism in a specific and damaging way.

What the research says

A 2026 study in Adv Sci investigated the mechanism behind PFOA-associated pregnancy loss. PFOA exposure caused uterine macrophages to accumulate ammonia through disrupted nitrogen metabolism. The ammonia buildup created a toxic environment that impaired embryo implantation and caused spontaneous miscarriage in animal models.

The researchers confirmed the mechanism in human macrophage cell studies, finding the same metabolic disruption in human cells exposed to PFOA at concentrations measured in real women's blood. The study identified the exact metabolic pathway: PFOA blocks the urea cycle in macrophages, causing ammonia retention instead of proper nitrogen processing.

While PFOA is being phased out, it persists in food supply, contaminated water, and older products. Newer PFAS may work similarly. Avoiding nonstick cookware and using a certified PFAS-removing water filter addresses the ongoing exposure that matters for women trying to conceive.