Scientists knew that cancer-causing chemicals are permanently transferred from mothers to newborns, but a new study has revealed how it happens during pregnancy.
Researchers at Fudan University in China analyzed blood samples from 1,076 participants and found that 65 percent contained polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
The team found that chemicals from the bloodstream always reach the placenta, umbilical cord and breast milk to contaminate fetuses during and after pregnancy.
PFAS, microscopic substances that take thousands of years to decompose, attached They are converted into proteins in the body that transport them from the mother’s bloodstream (serum), through the placenta, and into the bloodstream of the fetus.
Researchers also noted that prenatal exposure to PFAS has been linked to increased susceptibility to infectious diseases, autism, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children.
Researchers at Fudan University in China found that polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) can be transmitted to the baby through the placenta and breastfeeding.
PFAS are found in most foods, air, water, soil, and cleaning products, allowing them to pass through human skin and enter the bloodstream.
The new study found that the amount of chemicals babies are exposed to depends on the mother’s diet, body mass index (BMI), the age at which they gave birth and their level of education.
During pregnancy, substances in the mother’s bloodstream cross the placenta, which provides oxygen and nutrients to the fetus, to reach the bloodstream of the temporal organ that connects the mother’s uterus to the umbilical cord.
The placental structure acts as a barrier against negative substances such as viruses and certain medications, but because PFAS are small molecules and have the ability to dissolve into fats, they can cross the placenta to reach the fetus.
These chemicals also tend to attach to proteins such as albumin, facilitating the permanent transfer of chemicals from mother to baby.
The affinity of PFAS to bind to itself while carrying proteins “could play a crucial role” in transfer to the fetus, according to the study.
The team noted that some toxic chemicals moved more easily across the placenta compared to breastfeeding, but found that PFAS rates in 551 breast milk samples were above 50 percent.
The permanent chemicals reside in body fat that can be released into breast milk, thus being transferred to the newborn along with healthy nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and proteins.
However the Agency for the Registry of Toxic Substances and Diseases reported that it is not yet fully understood how these permanent chemicals enter breast milk.
Although researchers found forever dangerous chemicals in breast milk and the placenta, Linda Birnbaum, former director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the National Toxicology Program, still warns that the benefits of breastfeeding outweigh the risk. from any potential exposure to PFAS. .
“I always emphasize to people that ‘breast is best,’ even if there is contamination,” he said. The hill.
The team also reported that there were more than 50 percent of five types of PFAS in the umbilical cord serum, which came from the placenta and the bloodstream of the uterus.
Nicknamed “forever chemicals” because they can remain in the environment for hundreds of years, they have been linked to liver, kidney, breast, prostate and ovarian cancer. The researchers found that participants who ate diets rich in animals and seafood had more PFAS in their system.
PFAS were called “forever chemicals” because they can remain in the environment for hundreds of years and have been linked to liver, kidney, breast and ovarian cancer.
Researchers identified that the leading cause of PFAS in adult participants was their diet, with animal- and seafood-based foods having the highest levels of synthetic chemicals used to make stain- and grease-resistant products.
Permanent chemicals build up in the body over a short period of time, but it can take anywhere from a few months to several decades before they are eliminated or metabolized from the body.
“Taking into account the accumulation and long half-life of PFAS, their levels in the third quarter of this study are higher than those in the second quarter, which mainly depends on the diet and consumption patterns of the study population during pregnancy,” the study says. .
The chemicals accumulate permanently in the body and can take from a few months to several decades before they can be eliminated or metabolized from the body.
PFAS are found in most foods, air, water, soil and cleaning products, but the amount of chemicals babies are exposed to depends on the mother’s diet, mass index (BMI), the age at which they gave birth and their level of education.
Women with higher levels of education were associated with higher levels of PFAS, which the researchers said was likely because they were able to purchase products containing more dangerous chemicals, such as seafood.
PFAS are widespread, and nearly all Americans have these permanent chemicals in their blood, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).
There are some ways to reduce exposure to PFAS, such as using treated or bottled water for drinking and cooking, avoiding fast food, microwave popcorn and other takeout foods, and stopping the use of products made with Teflon.
The researchers said they hope their findings will pave the way for companies to permanently eliminate chemicals found in food sources.
“Our findings are crucial for developing strategies to protect children from the potentially harmful effects of PFAS exposure,” said the study’s lead author, Yaqi Xu.
“Understanding the pathways and risks associated with these chemicals can lead to better regulatory policies and protective measures for the most susceptible among us.”
