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Pregnancy blood pressure trajectories in relation to high PFAS exposure : A longitudinal study from the Ronneby Mother-Child Cohort

Batzella, Erich LU ; Blomberg, Annelise J LU orcid ; Canova, Cristina ; Lindh, Christian LU orcid ; Mattsson, Kristina LU and Nielsen, Christel LU orcid (2026) In Environmental Research 290.
Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Maternal blood pressure (BP) is crucial for the health of both mother and fetus, with long-term implications for the child's health. Studies exploring the link between perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy often yield inconsistent results, frequently focusing on a single BP measurement rather than longitudinal measurements. This study characterized the systolic and diastolic BP trajectories during pregnancy and determined their association with PFAS exposure in Ronneby, Sweden, where a third of the population was highly exposed from contaminated drinking water.

METHODS: We used longitudinal data from the Ronneby Mother-Child Cohort. Nine PFAS compounds were measured in a... (More)

INTRODUCTION: Maternal blood pressure (BP) is crucial for the health of both mother and fetus, with long-term implications for the child's health. Studies exploring the link between perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy often yield inconsistent results, frequently focusing on a single BP measurement rather than longitudinal measurements. This study characterized the systolic and diastolic BP trajectories during pregnancy and determined their association with PFAS exposure in Ronneby, Sweden, where a third of the population was highly exposed from contaminated drinking water.

METHODS: We used longitudinal data from the Ronneby Mother-Child Cohort. Nine PFAS compounds were measured in a serum sample collected during pregnancy and BP measurements were taken as part of the routine pregnancy monitoring program. BP trajectories were identified by Group Based Trajectory Modelling. Odds ratios (OR) for membership in each trajectory by PFAS quartiles were calculated via multinomial logistic regression models and Quantile G-computation was applied to quantify the joint effect of PFAS.

RESULTS: The study comprised 214 women with 1705 BP measurements. PFOS and PFHxS were detected at the highest concentrations (medians 16.6 and 10.2 ng/mL). Trajectory analysis identified a cubic shape three-trajectory solution, with one trajectory having elevated BP throughout pregnancy. Higher PFAS concentrations seemed to increase the probability of belonging to the high-BP trajectory in both single-pollutant and multi-pollutant models.

CONCLUSIONS: Higher PFAS exposure was associated with an increased OR of an adverse BP trajectory, underscoring the importance of monitoring pregnancy BP in communities with elevated PFAS exposures.

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author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Environmental Research
volume
290
article number
123431
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • pmid:41314494
ISSN
1096-0953
DOI
10.1016/j.envres.2025.123431
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
Copyright © 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
id
8ecdb10b-d45f-4217-860b-9b0e6acb8a2c
date added to LUP
2025-12-01 08:58:38
date last changed
2025-12-01 10:41:26
@article{8ecdb10b-d45f-4217-860b-9b0e6acb8a2c,
  abstract     = {{<p>INTRODUCTION: Maternal blood pressure (BP) is crucial for the health of both mother and fetus, with long-term implications for the child's health. Studies exploring the link between perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy often yield inconsistent results, frequently focusing on a single BP measurement rather than longitudinal measurements. This study characterized the systolic and diastolic BP trajectories during pregnancy and determined their association with PFAS exposure in Ronneby, Sweden, where a third of the population was highly exposed from contaminated drinking water.</p><p>METHODS: We used longitudinal data from the Ronneby Mother-Child Cohort. Nine PFAS compounds were measured in a serum sample collected during pregnancy and BP measurements were taken as part of the routine pregnancy monitoring program. BP trajectories were identified by Group Based Trajectory Modelling. Odds ratios (OR) for membership in each trajectory by PFAS quartiles were calculated via multinomial logistic regression models and Quantile G-computation was applied to quantify the joint effect of PFAS.</p><p>RESULTS: The study comprised 214 women with 1705 BP measurements. PFOS and PFHxS were detected at the highest concentrations (medians 16.6 and 10.2 ng/mL). Trajectory analysis identified a cubic shape three-trajectory solution, with one trajectory having elevated BP throughout pregnancy. Higher PFAS concentrations seemed to increase the probability of belonging to the high-BP trajectory in both single-pollutant and multi-pollutant models.</p><p>CONCLUSIONS: Higher PFAS exposure was associated with an increased OR of an adverse BP trajectory, underscoring the importance of monitoring pregnancy BP in communities with elevated PFAS exposures.</p>}},
  author       = {{Batzella, Erich and Blomberg, Annelise J and Canova, Cristina and Lindh, Christian and Mattsson, Kristina and Nielsen, Christel}},
  issn         = {{1096-0953}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Environmental Research}},
  title        = {{Pregnancy blood pressure trajectories in relation to high PFAS exposure : A longitudinal study from the Ronneby Mother-Child Cohort}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2025.123431}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.envres.2025.123431}},
  volume       = {{290}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}