Pregnant women exposed to pervasive 'forever chemicals' could face a significantly elevated risk of developing gestational diabetes, according to a major new scientific review. The study, which synthesised evidence from dozens of existing research papers, points to a troubling link between these persistent environmental toxins and a serious pregnancy complication.
The Alarming Link Between PFAS and Pregnancy
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS or forever chemicals, are toxic synthetic compounds that accumulate in the body and environment. They leach from common household items like non-stick cookware, waterproof clothing, and food packaging into our food, water, and skin. Virtually all people have detectable levels of PFAS in their bodies, with exposure beginning even before birth.
Researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City conducted a comprehensive meta-analysis, examining 79 animal and human studies. These investigations evaluated the connection between PFAS exposure, diabetes, and pregnancy outcomes. The team measured 18 different forms of these chemicals across studies based on clinical tests, health records, and self-reported data.
The conclusion was clear: higher levels of PFAS exposure were consistently associated with increased insulin resistance in pregnant women and higher rates of gestational diabetes. This condition, where the body cannot produce enough insulin to meet the extra demands of pregnancy, now affects up to one in ten pregnancies in the United States.
Mechanism and Long-Term Health Consequences
The research explains that PFAS exposure exacerbates a natural pregnancy challenge. Hormones from the placenta, such as oestrogen and cortisol, already make the body's cells less responsive to insulin. PFAS chemicals appear to intensify this insulin resistance, causing glucose to build up in the blood and leading to gestational diabetes.
This diagnosis carries severe, long-term implications for both mother and baby. For the child, risks include a high birth weight (over nine pounds), preterm labour, and a greater likelihood of developing obesity and type 2 diabetes later in life. Mothers face future risks of high blood pressure and diabetes themselves.
Dr Sandra India-aldana, co-first author and a postdoctoral fellow at Mount Sinai, stated: 'This is the most comprehensive synthesis of evidence to date examining how PFAS exposure relates not only to diabetes risk, but also to the underlying clinical markers that precede disease. Our findings suggest that pregnancy may be a particularly sensitive window.'
A Growing Public Health Concern
The findings are especially urgent given the rising incidence of gestational diabetes. A separate study published in December 2025 in JAMA Internal Medicine found that rates in the US have increased every year since 2016. Over a nine-year period, cases surged by 36 percent, from 58 to 79 per 1,000 births.
While unhealthy diets and rising obesity rates are contributing factors, this new research underscores that environmental toxins like PFAS must also be considered. Dr Xin Yu, co-first study author, emphasised: 'Gestational diabetes has lasting implications. This research supports the growing recognition that environmental exposures like PFAS should be part of conversations around preventive care.'
The research team, led by senior author Dr Damaskini Valvi, called for more long-term studies to fully characterise the risks. Dr Valvi warned: 'These results are alarming as almost everyone is exposed to PFAS. We need larger longitudinal studies... to fully characterise PFAS impacts on diabetes risk and its long-term complications.' The study was published this week in the journal eClinical Medicine.
