Extract from the Inserm press release of 13/02/2025 (in french only).
Our daily lives are increasingly invaded by per- and poly-fluoroalkylated substances (PFAS) because of their non-stick and waterproof properties, as well as their resistance to high temperatures. However, PFASs have undesirable effects for both mother and child. Several studies suggest that exposure to PFAS increases the risk of giving birth to low-weight babies or suffering from hypertensive disorders during pregnancy.
A consortium of researchers from Inserm, CNRS, CEA, UGA and Grenoble University Hospital has studied the consequences of exposure to thirteen per- and poly-fluoroalkyls on the health of the placenta. They found that three of them appear to affect the integrity of placental villi, the structures that ensure exchanges between maternal blood and the foetal vascular network.
Previous research had already determined how PFASs affect the weight and vascularisation of the placenta. This study is the first to provide specific histological markers that reflect the structure of the placenta, making it possible to understand the mechanisms by which PFAS could affect placental health.
"According to previous studies, deregulations in foetal-maternal exchanges are associated with intra-uterine growth retardation and the development of pre-eclampsia", explains Nadia Alfaidy, Inserm research director and team leader at CEA-Irig, and co-author of this study. Pre-eclampsia is characterised by high blood pressure and a high level of protein in the urine.
These results are based on a cohort of 367 mothers (and their children) recruited between 2014 and 2017 in the Grenoble region (SEPAGES cohort).