Maternal concentrations of perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) and duration of breastfeeding

Maternal Plasma Concentrations of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances and Breastfeeding Duration in the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort

“…In the Timmermann et al study, PFOA concentrations were comparable to those measured in our study (median: 2.4 ng/mL (IQR: 1.5, 3.6)) but PFOS concentrations were higher (median: 19.5 ng/mL (IQR: 18.7, 28.2) vs. median in our study: 12.9 ng/mL (IQR: 9.9, 16.6)) (14). PFOS levels were higher in the Fei et al and Romano et al studies (median for cases in Fei et al: 37.0 ng/mL (IQR: 28.0, 46.9) and median in Romano et al: 13.9 ng/mL (IQR: 9.6, 18.2)) (12, 13). Concentrations of PFNA, PFDA, and PFHxS in the Timmermann et al study population were higher than those measured in our population as well (PFNA: 0.62 vs. 0.49; PFDA: 0.28 vs. 0.10; PFHxS: 1.45 vs. 0.67) (14).…”

“…All three prior studies found an association between elevated PFOA concentrations and decreased breastfeeding duration (increased cessation), and Fei et al and Timmermann et al additionally observed associations between elevated PFOS concentrations and decreased breastfeeding duration (12–14). Only Timmermann et al ran multivariate models with PFASs beyond PFOA and PFOS.…”

“…Notably, PFASs concentrations in this cohort were lower than those in the other studies. In Fei et al, the median PFOA level for cases was 5.9 ng/mL (IQR: 4.7, 7.5) (12). In the Romano et al study, the median PFOA concentration was 5.5 ng/mL (IQR: 3.8, 7.7) while the median in the present analysis was 2.7 ng/mL (IQR: 2.0, 3.5) (13).…”

“…The human health effects resulting from PFASs exposure are still being discovered, but research has suggested a link between maternal PFASs concentrations and decreased breastfeeding duration. The three studies to examine this association utilized Danish, American, and Faroe Island cohorts and focused primarily on PFOA and PFOS exposure, though perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), and perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) were also examined (12–14). In all three studies, there were consistent inverse associations between PFOA and PFOS exposure and duration of breastfeeding.…”

Characterisation of human exposure pathways to perfluorinated compounds — Comparing exposure estimates with biomarkers of exposure

“…These findings are supported by the decreasing concentrations of PFCs in breast milk during the course of lactation, seen in the depuration rate study. In a study from the Danish national birth cohort, the duration of breast-feeding decreased with increasing concentrations of PFOS and PFOA in serum during pregnancy (Fei et al 2010). Thus, the authors suggested that increased concentrations of PFOS and PFOA may reduce the ability to lactate.…”