Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai announced on July 16 that exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), known as "forever chemicals," during pregnancy and early life is associated with increased intestinal inflammation in children.
The findings, published July 10 in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, suggest that environmental exposures during critical stages of development may influence long-term intestinal health and the future risk of inflammatory bowel disease. The study is reported as the first to demonstrate a consistent association between prenatal and early-life PFAS exposure and elevated levels of fecal calprotectin—a biomarker used to monitor intestinal inflammation—across three birth cohorts in the United States and Mexico.
Researchers measured PFAS concentrations in maternal blood collected during pregnancy, umbilical cord blood, and newborn dried blood spots. Children were then followed for up to 11 years. Across all three cohorts, higher levels of PFAS mixtures were linked with higher fecal calprotectin levels later in childhood.
PFAS are synthetic chemicals found in products such as nonstick cookware, food packaging, stain-resistant fabrics, and firefighting foams. These chemicals persist in the environment because they do not readily break down, leading to accumulation in human bodies over time.
Vishal Midya, PhD, MStat, first author of the study and Assistant Professor at Icahn School of Medicine, said, "By studying PFAS as mixtures rather than individual chemicals, we were able to better reflect how people are exposed in everyday life. The consistency of our findings across multiple biological samples and three independent birth cohorts strengthens the evidence that early-life PFAS exposure may have lasting effects on intestinal health."
The researchers said elevated fecal calprotectin does not mean a child will develop inflammatory bowel disease but is a sensitive biomarker associated with increased future risk. Because this was an observational study, it cannot determine whether PFAS directly cause inflammation or disease. The team plans further follow-up with participants to assess whether children with higher early-life PFAS exposure are more likely to develop inflammatory bowel disease later.
