PFAS Across the Placenta and Its Potential Impact on Glucose Imbalance and Infant Growth

PFAS concentrations of 5.26 ng/mL in maternal serum, 3.52 ng/mL in cord serum, and 1.15 and 0.97 ng/g on maternal and fetal placental surfaces, respectively. Average transfer efficiencies were 45% (maternal to cord) and 73% (maternal to fetal surface), with several PFASs exceeding 100%. Prenatal PFAS exposure correlated with elevated maternal, fetal, and neonatal glucose and reduced postnatal growth, with maternal glucose mediating up to 23.19% of the effect, implicating glucose dysregulation a key pathway. The findings provide quantitative evidence implicating glucose-regulatory pathways in PFAS-induced maternal-fetal health effects and, using multiple matched biospecimens per mother-infant pair, offer a comprehensive view of PFAS transport across the maternal-fetal interface. A 12-month follow-up confirmed persistent growth impairment, reinforcing the need to regulate emerging PFAS and monitor metabolic outcomes.