Concentrations of Perfluoroalkyl Substances in Pregnancy and Breastfeeding Duration

Background/Aim: Animal studies suggest that exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) can disrupt mammary gland development, potentially impacting lactation. Prior epidemiological studies report shorter breastfeeding duration among mothers with higher PFAS concentrations in pregnancy. In a United States cohort, we examined pregnancy PFAS concentrations in relation to duration of breastfeeding.Methods: We studied 1,154 mother-child pairs from Project Viva, a longitudinal pre-birth cohort enrolled 1999-2002. We measured concentrations of four PFASs in maternal plasma from early pregnancy (median 9.6 weeks gestation): perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), and perfluorononanoate (PFNA). Mothers reported duration of any breastfeeding through 12 months. Using linear regression models, we estimated associations of PFAS …