Hidden Chemicals, Hidden Risks: PFAS and Embryo Quality in IVF

Maquis Canastero

01-10-2025

At first, everything seems wonderful after the wedding. Why? Well, for several reasons.
First, Kingfisher starts fishing much earlier and returns home much later. It seems he wants to catch plenty of fish to provide lavish meals for his beloved wife.

In “Facing Saving”; Wild Wise Weird [1]

© Wix

Infertility affects nearly 15% of couples worldwide, and increasing evidence shows that everyday pollutants play a role in reproductive health [2,3]. A new study published in Environmental Health Perspectives investigated how perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)—a class of synthetic chemicals found in products like non-stick cookware, food packaging, and contaminated water—affect embryo development in women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) [4].

The team studied 378 women receiving fertility treatments at a hospital in Shanghai between 2023 and 2024. By analyzing samples of follicular fluid—the liquid that surrounds and nourishes eggs in the ovaries—they measured levels of 29 different PFAS. They also examined embryo quality and pregnancy outcomes while using advanced metabolomics to detect changes in hundreds of small molecules essential for cell growth.

The chemical perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) emerged as the most harmful. Higher concentrations of PFOA were strongly linked to a lower chance of producing high-quality embryos and a reduced likelihood of clinical pregnancy. Other PFAS, such as perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) and perfluorotridecanoic acid (PFTrDA), also showed negative associations. Importantly, metabolite analysis revealed that PFAS exposure depleted key organonitrogen compounds and sphingolipids—molecules vital for cell membranes and energy balance. These biochemical disruptions likely explain why PFAS impair embryo development.

PFAS are sometimes called “forever chemicals” because they persist in the environment and human body for years, even decades [5,6]. This study provides strong evidence that they directly threaten reproductive health. Beyond fertility, these findings underscore the delicate interconnection between human well-being and environmental integrity. When synthetic pollutants accumulate in water, soil, and food webs, they do not stay “out there”—they infiltrate our most intimate biological processes.

The study underscores the importance of cultivating the Nature Quotient (NQ)—our capacity to recognize and act upon the inseparability of human and ecological health. A higher NQ encourages policymakers, industries, and individuals to avoid chemical overuse, redesign production systems, and strengthen environmental protections [7]. Just as nature provides the biochemical foundations for life, safeguarding ecosystems from persistent pollutants is essential for ensuring healthy generations [8].

References

[1] Vuong QH. (2024). Wild Wise Weird. https://books.google.com/books?id=N10jEQAAQBAJ

[2] Sun H, et al. (2019). Global, regional, and national prevalence and disability-adjusted life-years for infertility in 195 countries and territories, 1990–2017: results from a global burden of disease study, 2017. Aging, 11, 10952-10991. https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.102497.

[3] Evers JL. (2002). Female subfertility. Lancet, 360, 151-159. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(02)09417-5 

[4] Xu J, et al. (2025). Association between perfluorooctanoic acid–related poor embryo quality and metabolite alterations in human follicular fluid during IVF: A cohort study. Environmental Health Perspectives, 133, 067017. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP15422 

[5] Olsen GW, et al. (2007). Half-life of serum elimination of perfluorooctanesulfonate, perfluorohexanesulfonate, and perfluorooctanoate in retired fluorochemical production workers. Environmental Health Perspectives, 115, 1298-1305. https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.10009

[6] Nilsson S, et al. (2022). Serum concentration trends and apparent half-lives of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in Australian firefighters. International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health, 246, 114040. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheh.2022.114040

[7] Vuong QH, Nguyen MH. (2025). On Nature Quotient. Pacific Conservation Biology, 31, PC25028. https://doi.org/10.1071/PC25028

[8] Nguyen MH. (2024). How can satirical fables offer us a vision for sustainability? Visions for Sustainability, 23(11267), 323-328. https://doi.org/10.13135/2384-8677/11267