Higher odds seen for gestational diabetes and increased markers of insulin resistance and secretion<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter<\/b>
\n<\/b><\/p>\n
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 21, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS; also known as forever chemicals) are associated with higher odds of gestational diabetes and increased markers of insulin resistance and secretion, according to a study published online Jan. 12 in eClinicalMedicine<\/em>.<\/p>\n Sandra India-Aldana, Ph.D., from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City, and colleagues conducted a systematic literature review to characterize the associations between exposures to PFAS and markers of glycemic control, insulin resistance, pancreatic \u03b2-cell function, and diabetes risk.<\/p>\n Based on 129 included studies, the researchers found consistent associations between eight different PFAS and higher odds of gestational diabetes across prospective and other study designs, including perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS; n = 8; odds ratio [OR] per doubling PFOS increase: 1.13; I2<\/sup> = 0.0 percent). There were positive associations between several legacy PFAS such as PFOS with Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR; n = 8; \u03b2: 0.06; I2<\/sup> = 0.0 percent) and fasting insulin (n = 5; \u03b2 in \u03bcU\/mL: 0.23; I2<\/sup> = 0.0 percent) in prospective studies and HOMA-\u03b2 in cross-sectional studies (n = 6; \u03b2: 5.93; I2<\/sup> = 67.0 percent). The associations were null or not consistent for type 2 diabetes, fasting glucose, or hemoglobin A1c. The strength of the findings was limited by the low-to-moderate quality of evidence.<\/p>\n “These results are alarming as almost everyone is exposed to PFAS, and gestational diabetes can have severe long-term complications for mothers and their children,” senior author Damaskini Valvi, M.D., Ph.D., also from the Icahn School of Medicine, said in a statement. “These results underscore the importance of considering PFAS and other hazardous environmental chemical exposures as part of comprehensive clinical risk assessment and preventive care, particularly during pregnancy.”<\/p>\n