Overview

• Researchers tracked 1,094 Boston Birth Cohort children and analyzed over 13,000 blood pressure readings from ages 3 to 18 across a median 12-year follow-up.
• Doubling of maternal PFDeA, PFNA and PFUnA levels was associated with systolic blood pressure increases of 1.39 to 2.78 percentile points and diastolic rises of 1.22 to 2.54 percentile points in adolescents.
• Boys and children born to non-Hispanic Black mothers faced a 6% to 8% higher risk of elevated blood pressure when maternal PFAS concentrations doubled.
• Some PFAS exposures correlated with lower diastolic pressure in early childhood, but those effects did not persist into teenage years.
• Authors warn lasting cardiovascular harm from ‘forever chemicals’ requires policy-level interventions, including product phase-outs and stricter water regulation.