"Teflon chemicals” linked to infertility

While many chemicals have been shown to affect reproduction in laboratory research, seldom have studies in people been able to point the finger at a chemical exposure as a cause of infertility. A study by researchers from UCLA and Denmark has now done just that—by testing more than a thousand pregnant women for two perfluorinated compounds (PFCs, or “Teflon chemicals”), the researchers have made a link between infertility and greater exposure.

The scientists tested 1,240 women early in pregnancy, randomly selcted from a much larger group known as the Danish National Birth Cohort. They tested for two chemicals, known as PFOS and PFOA, which are or have been used to manufacture Teflon, firefighting foam, and stain-protection treatments for paper, furniture, clothing, and carpets.

Women with higher levels of these chemicals were much more likely to be infertile, defined as longer than 12 months to pregnancy or requiring infertility treatment. 

Researchers cited irregular menstrual periods, delayed ovulation, or abnormal hormone levels caused by the PFCs as possible causes of the infertility. The study does have limitations, notably that it did not include women that never became pregnant, but does identify a strong trend that is consistent with laboratory studies linking PFCs to miscarriage.

The study results were published by lead author C. Fein in the current issue of Human Reproduction.

Erika Schreder is a staff scientist at Washington Toxics Coalition, where she leads the Coalition’s research on toxic chemicals in children’s products. In 2005 and 2006, she led the research for the Toxic-Free Legacy Coalition’s Pollution in People study. She has a Masters in Resource Ecology and Management from the University of Michigan and a B.S. in molecular biology from MIT.