Mechanism of transmission of "carcinogenic chemicals" from mother to child discovered

A new study has revealed how cancer-causing chemicals are passed from mothers to their babies during pregnancy.

The research team at Fudan University in China analyzed blood samples from 1,076 participants, where they found 65% polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The team discovered that chemicals in the bloodstream make their way into the placenta, umbilical cord and breast milk, and thus into fetuses during and after pregnancy.

PFAS, found in most foods, air, water, soil and cleaning products, are microscopic substances that take thousands of years to break down, attaching to proteins in the body that carry them from the mother's bloodstream (serum) through the placenta, to the fetus's bloodstream.

The structure of the placenta acts as a barrier to negative substances such as viruses and some medications, but because PFAS are fat-soluble, they can cross the placenta to reach the fetus.

The team noted that some toxic chemicals move more easily across the placenta than through breastfeeding, but the levels of PFAS detected in the 551 breast milk samples were higher than 50%.

It turns out that there are more than 50% of the five types of PFAS in umbilical cord serum, which come from the placenta and uterine bloodstream.

Researchers found that prenatal exposure to PFAS is linked to increased susceptibility to infectious diseases, autism, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children.

The study found that the amount of chemicals infants are exposed to depends on the mother's diet, body mass index (BMI), age at birth, and education level.

Although researchers have found dangerous and persistent chemicals in breast milk and placenta, Linda Birnbaum, former head of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the National Toxicology Program, still says the benefits of breastfeeding outweigh the risks of potential exposure to PFAS. 

“I always stress to people that breast milk is best, even if there is contamination,” she told The Hill.

The researchers said they hope the findings will pave the way for companies to eliminate the chemicals from food sources for good.

It is worth noting that eternal chemicals accumulate in the body over a short period of time, and it can take from a few months to several decades before they are eliminated or metabolized in the body.