We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Sociodemographic predictors of PFAS exposure among a combined sample of U.S. pregnant women: an Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) public-use dataset analysis
Summary
Analysis of 3,043 U.S. pregnant women found widespread PFAS exposure with higher levels linked to race, ethnicity, and education, indicating that sociodemographic disparities shape toxic chemical burden before birth. These findings underscore the need for ongoing biomonitoring of vulnerable populations, as PFAS are associated with developmental and immune harm in fetuses and newborns.
We analyzed data from a combined sample of U.S. pregnant women (n = 3043) in the ECHO public-use dataset to assess exposure to 14 per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), including both legacy and less-studied compounds. Higher levels of some PFAS were observed by race, ethnicity, and education. Our findings document continued widespread PFAS exposure in the U.S., including among fetuses and newborns who may be especially vulnerable to developmental and immune effects. Ongoing biomonitoring is critical for understanding changing exposure patterns across racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups.