health
March 14, 2026
Fetuses likely have more ‘forever chemicals’ in blood than thought
US test of 120 umbilical blood cord samples identified 42 Pfas compounds, which do not naturally break down
TL;DR
- A new Mount Sinai study analyzed 120 umbilical cord blood samples, identifying 42 PFAS compounds, much higher than previous limited analyses.
- The findings suggest that fetuses are exposed to a greater number and higher total levels of PFAS 'forever chemicals' than previously understood.
- PFAS chemicals, used to make products water-, stain-, and grease-resistant, are linked to numerous health issues and do not break down naturally.
- Current regulatory methods for detecting PFAS in blood and water are slow to keep pace with the thousands of existing compounds, potentially undercounting exposure levels.
- While the study did not directly link exposure to health problems, higher PFAS levels are generally associated with increased health risks.
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