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Pregnancy comes with a list of dangers to avoid. Foodborne illnesses, overheating and parasites rank high. However, some everyday products come with hazards that are hard to spot, such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), commonly known as forever chemicals.
They have been a go-to for keeping things dry and gunk-free, such as waterproof clothing and pans. But they contain chains of carbon atoms linked to fluorine—a bond that's especially difficult to break. If these chemicals remain in the body for a long time, they could pose a host of serious health risks.
A new study by Julia Varshavsky, assistant professor at the Northeastern University Bouvé College of Health Sciences, and colleagues found that women exposed to forever chemicals were twice as likely to have high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, later in pregnancy. And the tendency to develop the medical condition was strongest in first-time mothers and those carrying girls. Knowing who is most vulnerable could help clinicians catch dangerous spikes earlier and target efforts to reduce the contamination risk before it jeopardizes the health of two generations.
Despite decades of research and thousands of lawsuits since their harmful effects became clear, PFAS are still in the drinking water of roughly half the country and in thousands of commercial products. They're also in the blood of just about every human, including those still in the womb. High blood pressure isn't great under any circumstances, but during pregnancy there's twice as much at stake.
Building a new human calls for some major interior remodeling. Vessels have to be rerouted and organs shuffled around to shoehorn in an ever-expanding bundle and keep it stocked with nutrients. "The blood volume has to increase by up to 50% by the end of pregnancy," Varshavsky said.
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