A baby hasn’t even taken its first breath, and yet it may already be carrying industrial chemicals in its blood. According to a new study, titled Quantifying PFAS-Omics Burden Scores for Nontargeted Analysis Using Multidimensional Item Response Theory: An Exploratory Analysis of Novel and Legacy PFAS in Cord Blood, published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, 42 different per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been detected in umbilical cord blood samples.
What are 'forever chemicals'?
According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 'forever chemicals' is the common name for PFAs - a vast group of synthetic compounds. There are more than 10,000 of them.
PFAS contain carbon-fluorine bonds, one of the strongest bonds in chemistry. This makes them extremely resistant to heat, oil, water, and degradation. In simple terms, they do not easily break down in the environment or in the human body. Once released, they can persist for decades, even centuries.
First developed in the 1940s, PFAS quickly became popular among various industries making non-stick cookware, waterproof clothing, stain-resistant fabrics, firefighting foams, food packaging, and even cosmetics such as mascara.
What did this study find?
Researchers at New York’s Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai say that unborn babies are exposed to far more 'forever chemicals' than previously believed.
Instead of testing only for known PFAS compounds, researchers used an advanced analytical approach called nontargeted analysis, combined with multidimensional statistical modelling. That allowed them to detect both legacy PFAS (older, well-studied ones) and novel, understudied variants.
They identified 42 distinct PFAS compounds in umbilical cord blood samples. Many of these were newer-generation PFAS that are increasingly used as replacements for older, restricted chemicals. According to the study authors, standard testing methods would likely have missed several of them.
How do these chemicals reach unborn babies?
The study provides evidence that PFAS can cross the placental barrier, which is the protective interface between mother and foetus, confirming that a baby’s exposure may begin in the womb.
PFAS enter a pregnant woman’s body primarily through contaminated drinking water, food packaging, household products, cosmetics, and even indoor dust. Because these chemicals accumulate over time, the mother’s lifetime exposure can become the baby’s first exposure.
This is not a minor transfer. Umbilical cord blood reflects what is circulating in the developing fetus. Detecting 42 compounds there suggests widespread prenatal exposure.
Why should we be worried?
According to Unicef, India records roughly 25 million births each year. Yet there is currently no nationwide monitoring programme to measure PFAS levels in pregnant women, newborns, or drinking water.
A 2024 study by the British Geological Survey in partnership with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology reported PFAS concentrations in Bengaluru’s water sources exceeding the European Union drinking water threshold of 0.1 micrograms per litre or 100 nanograms per litre.
The existing global research has linked prenatal PFAS exposure to low birth weight, preterm birth, weaker immune responses, and developmental delays in children. In adults, long-term accumulation has been associated with liver damage, thyroid disorders, reduced fertility, and certain cancers, including kidney and prostate cancer.
In October 2025, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) proposed a ban on PFAS in food contact materials. However, India still has no enforceable limits on PFAS in drinking water, cosmetics, or industrial effluents. Also, as of now, there is no routine biomonitoring of pregnant women or infants.
 "Babies exposed to 42 'forever chemicals' before birth, warns study")
