Prenatal exposure to “forever chemicals” linked to autistic traits in children, study finds

Photo credit: Anna Hecker via Unsplash. Article by Eric W. Dolan. PsyPost – July 9, 2025. Research article: Journal of Hazardous Materials.

New research suggests that exposure to certain synthetic chemicals during early pregnancy may be linked to a higher likelihood of autistic traits in children. The study found that children whose mothers had higher levels of a chemical called perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in their blood during early pregnancy were more likely to show signs of social and communication difficulties by age four. Additionally, another chemical, perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), was more strongly associated with autistic traits in children who had a higher inherited risk for autism. […]

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