Serum concentrations of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in Danish pregnant women—temporal trends during pregnancy, correlations with partners, associations with physical activity, and blood lipid concentrations
Abstract Background Per- and polyflouralkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of persistent chemicals used extensively in industries and consumer products due to their water-repellent properties. Studies have linked PFAS exposure to adverse health effects, and human exposure to PFAS, especially during p...
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BMC
2025-04-01
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12940-025-01170-x |
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| author | Ida Karoline Bach Jensen Esben Budtz-Jørgensen Christian Lindh Caroline Borup Roland Signe de Place Knudsen Jane M. Bendix Stig Molsted Tine D. Clausen Bente Stallknecht Ole H. Mortensen Ellen Løkkegaard Lisbeth E. Knudsen |
| author_facet | Ida Karoline Bach Jensen Esben Budtz-Jørgensen Christian Lindh Caroline Borup Roland Signe de Place Knudsen Jane M. Bendix Stig Molsted Tine D. Clausen Bente Stallknecht Ole H. Mortensen Ellen Løkkegaard Lisbeth E. Knudsen |
| author_sort | Ida Karoline Bach Jensen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Per- and polyflouralkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of persistent chemicals used extensively in industries and consumer products due to their water-repellent properties. Studies have linked PFAS exposure to adverse health effects, and human exposure to PFAS, especially during pregnancy, is of great concern. In this study, we report how serum PFAS concentrations during pregnancy correlated with serum PFAS of partners from the same household. Further, we report how serum PFAS concentrations change during the course of pregnancy and associations between PFAS and blood lipid concentrations as well as exploratory analyses of associations between physical activity and PFAS concentrations. Methods In this secondary analysis of data from the FitMum study conducted from 2018 to 2021, 216 healthy, pregnant women, and 110 of their partners were included. Non-fasting venous blood samples were collected from the mothers at three test visits during pregnancy and at delivery, where blood from partners were also collected. Serum samples from all timepoints were analyzed for 15 short- and long-chained PFAS using liquid chromatography triple quadrupole linear ion trap mass spectrometry. Total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and triglyceride blood concentrations were measured at three test visits during pregnancy and at delivery. Physical activity was measured with a wrist-worn activity tracker 24/7 from inclusion before gestational age week 15 + 0 and throughout pregnancy. Results In serum samples we detected the following PFAS: PFOS, PFOA, PFHxS, PFNA, PFDA, and PFUnDA. The maternal median concentrations at baseline were: PFOS: 4.09 ng/mL, PFOA: 0.81 ng/mL, PFHxS: 0.29 ng/mL, PFNA: 0.42 ng/mL, PFDA: 0.25 ng/mL, and PFUnDA: 0.19 ng/mL. Partner serum PFAS concentrations were 3–145% higher than maternal concentration (except for PFUnDA). PFAS concentrations correlated within couples. All PFAS decreased significantly during pregnancy (PFOS -23.1 percent 95%-CI [-31.9;-13.2] from baseline to delivery). All PFAS concentrations were associated with increased HDL-C concentrations. No associations between physical activity and maternal PFAS concentrations were found. Conclusions Overall, serum PFAS concentrations decreased during pregnancy. PFAS concentrations within households were strongly correlated. PFAS and HDL-C concentrations were positively associated. We found no associations between physical activity and serum PFAS concentrations. Trial registration The study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov; NCT03679130; 20/09/2018. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-6aeb60d124fc473496ce37538de751ca |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1476-069X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
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| series | Environmental Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-6aeb60d124fc473496ce37538de751ca2025-08-20T01:56:09ZengBMCEnvironmental Health1476-069X2025-04-0124111310.1186/s12940-025-01170-xSerum concentrations of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in Danish pregnant women—temporal trends during pregnancy, correlations with partners, associations with physical activity, and blood lipid concentrationsIda Karoline Bach Jensen0Esben Budtz-Jørgensen1Christian Lindh2Caroline Borup Roland3Signe de Place Knudsen4Jane M. Bendix5Stig Molsted6Tine D. Clausen7Bente Stallknecht8Ole H. Mortensen9Ellen Løkkegaard10Lisbeth E. Knudsen11Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Copenhagen University Hospital - North ZealandDepartment of Public Health, Section of Biostatistics, University of CopenhagenDivision of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund UniversityDepartment of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Copenhagen University Hospital - North ZealandDepartment of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Copenhagen University Hospital - North ZealandDepartment of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Copenhagen University Hospital - North ZealandDepartment of Clinical Research, Copenhagen University Hospital - North ZealandDepartment of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Copenhagen University Hospital - North ZealandDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, University of CopenhagenDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, University of CopenhagenDepartment of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Copenhagen University Hospital - North ZealandDepartment of Public Health, Section of Environmental Health, University of CopenhagenAbstract Background Per- and polyflouralkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of persistent chemicals used extensively in industries and consumer products due to their water-repellent properties. Studies have linked PFAS exposure to adverse health effects, and human exposure to PFAS, especially during pregnancy, is of great concern. In this study, we report how serum PFAS concentrations during pregnancy correlated with serum PFAS of partners from the same household. Further, we report how serum PFAS concentrations change during the course of pregnancy and associations between PFAS and blood lipid concentrations as well as exploratory analyses of associations between physical activity and PFAS concentrations. Methods In this secondary analysis of data from the FitMum study conducted from 2018 to 2021, 216 healthy, pregnant women, and 110 of their partners were included. Non-fasting venous blood samples were collected from the mothers at three test visits during pregnancy and at delivery, where blood from partners were also collected. Serum samples from all timepoints were analyzed for 15 short- and long-chained PFAS using liquid chromatography triple quadrupole linear ion trap mass spectrometry. Total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and triglyceride blood concentrations were measured at three test visits during pregnancy and at delivery. Physical activity was measured with a wrist-worn activity tracker 24/7 from inclusion before gestational age week 15 + 0 and throughout pregnancy. Results In serum samples we detected the following PFAS: PFOS, PFOA, PFHxS, PFNA, PFDA, and PFUnDA. The maternal median concentrations at baseline were: PFOS: 4.09 ng/mL, PFOA: 0.81 ng/mL, PFHxS: 0.29 ng/mL, PFNA: 0.42 ng/mL, PFDA: 0.25 ng/mL, and PFUnDA: 0.19 ng/mL. Partner serum PFAS concentrations were 3–145% higher than maternal concentration (except for PFUnDA). PFAS concentrations correlated within couples. All PFAS decreased significantly during pregnancy (PFOS -23.1 percent 95%-CI [-31.9;-13.2] from baseline to delivery). All PFAS concentrations were associated with increased HDL-C concentrations. No associations between physical activity and maternal PFAS concentrations were found. Conclusions Overall, serum PFAS concentrations decreased during pregnancy. PFAS concentrations within households were strongly correlated. PFAS and HDL-C concentrations were positively associated. We found no associations between physical activity and serum PFAS concentrations. Trial registration The study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov; NCT03679130; 20/09/2018.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12940-025-01170-xBiomonitoringPregnancyPerfluorinated substancesPolyflouroalkyl substancesEnvironmetal chemicalsPhysical activity |
| spellingShingle | Ida Karoline Bach Jensen Esben Budtz-Jørgensen Christian Lindh Caroline Borup Roland Signe de Place Knudsen Jane M. Bendix Stig Molsted Tine D. Clausen Bente Stallknecht Ole H. Mortensen Ellen Løkkegaard Lisbeth E. Knudsen Serum concentrations of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in Danish pregnant women—temporal trends during pregnancy, correlations with partners, associations with physical activity, and blood lipid concentrations Environmental Health Biomonitoring Pregnancy Perfluorinated substances Polyflouroalkyl substances Environmetal chemicals Physical activity |
| title | Serum concentrations of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in Danish pregnant women—temporal trends during pregnancy, correlations with partners, associations with physical activity, and blood lipid concentrations |
| title_full | Serum concentrations of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in Danish pregnant women—temporal trends during pregnancy, correlations with partners, associations with physical activity, and blood lipid concentrations |
| title_fullStr | Serum concentrations of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in Danish pregnant women—temporal trends during pregnancy, correlations with partners, associations with physical activity, and blood lipid concentrations |
| title_full_unstemmed | Serum concentrations of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in Danish pregnant women—temporal trends during pregnancy, correlations with partners, associations with physical activity, and blood lipid concentrations |
| title_short | Serum concentrations of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in Danish pregnant women—temporal trends during pregnancy, correlations with partners, associations with physical activity, and blood lipid concentrations |
| title_sort | serum concentrations of per and poly fluoroalkyl substances pfas in danish pregnant women temporal trends during pregnancy correlations with partners associations with physical activity and blood lipid concentrations |
| topic | Biomonitoring Pregnancy Perfluorinated substances Polyflouroalkyl substances Environmetal chemicals Physical activity |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12940-025-01170-x |
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