Newsweek, July 2025
A new study has found that exposure to certain frequently used chemicals that are classified as human carcinogens may increase the risk of recurring miscarriage. The researchers found that exposure to four different types of PFAS chemicals, also known as “forever chemicals,” were associated with higher risks of “unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion”—meaning recurrent miscarriage where the cause is unknown.
PFAS chemicals, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, have been classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as a Group 1 carcinogen—with studies since finding the chemicals can cause a wide range of effects on public health. In the U.S., recurrent miscarriages are not common, with five in 100 women estimated to have two miscarriages in a row, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. However, for more than half of the women experiencing recurrent miscarriages, no certain cause is found for the pregnancy loss, the organization reported.
