Higher PFAS exposure could cause lactation to slow or stop altogether within six months, new research finds

Women exposed to toxic PFAS “forever chemicals” prior to pregnancy face an elevated risk of being unable to breastfeed early, new research finds.

The study tracked lactation durations for over 800 new moms in New Hampshire and found higher PFAS exposure could cause lactation to slow or stop altogether within six months.

The findings are “cause for concern” said Megan Romano, an epidemiologist at Dartmouth University and lead author.

“For all women who are exposed, there’s a little bit of a decrease in the amount of time they breastfeed beyond delivery,” Romano said.