By Michelle Boren, Founder of SacredLee
What Are Forever Chemicals?
Some compounds degrade quickly. Others remain, which is exactly why the conversation about forever chemicals and fertility keeps getting louder. PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a large family of synthetic chemicals prized for making products resist water, oil, grease, and stains, and for decades they have shown up in nonstick and grease-resistant cookware, waterproof textiles, stain-resistant fabrics, food packaging, cosmetics, and industrial processes.
They are often called forever chemicals because the carbon-fluorine bonds that make them so useful also make them exceptionally resistant to breaking down, both in the environment and in the human body.
Today, PFAS are detectable in the blood of most Americans. What is becoming harder to ignore is where these compounds appear to interact with the body most: the endocrine and reproductive systems.
The modern fertility conversation tends to center on age, stress, nutrition, and genetics. Those matter deeply. Far less attention goes to the chemical environment surrounding the body every day, and increasingly, researchers are asking whether persistent exposures like PFAS are another piece of that picture. Not the answer. Another layer worth understanding, and one that overlaps closely with the broader story in Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals & Female Fertility.
Why Are Scientists Concerned About PFAS?
The concern is not that one nonstick pan or one waterproof jacket determines anyone's fertility. It doesn't.
The larger question is what happens when persistent compounds become part of the background chemistry of daily life and stay there across years or decades. Researchers are particularly interested in whether certain PFAS may influence endocrine signaling, thyroid function, ovarian biology, and the reproductive hormones involved in fertility. That's the heart of the forever chemicals and fertility question researchers are now trying to answer.
The reproductive system doesn't operate in isolation. Thyroid hormones, metabolic health, ovarian signaling, immune function, stress, age, genetics, and environmental exposures all intersect. PFAS research is one attempt to understand another piece of that complex system.
What Does the Research Show About Forever Chemicals and Fertility?
The science here is still evolving, and the human evidence is not uniform. That distinction matters.
Researchers have examined PFAS in relation to menstrual-cycle characteristics, reproductive hormones, ovarian function, and outcomes among women undergoing fertility treatment. A 2019 review in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology laid out the pathways of human PFAS exposure and the current understanding of health effects, and a 2017 review in Current Opinion in Obstetrics & Gynecology examined female exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals and fecundity specifically.
More recently, a 2023 systematic review and meta-analysis in Environmental Research pooled the available evidence and reported an overall association between higher PFAS exposure and reduced female fertility.
But individual studies don't always agree with that pooled picture. A 2015 study of nulliparous women in the Danish National Birth Cohort found no association between serum PFAS levels and time to pregnancy. Conflicting results like this don't mean the question disappears. They mean it deserves better, more targeted research, and they're part of why the research community treats this as an active, unsettled area rather than a closed case.
PFAS compounds are bioaccumulative, meaning the body takes them in faster than it eliminates them. While causation is still being studied, growing evidence suggests chronic PFAS exposure may influence endocrine signaling, thyroid regulation, and reproductive health outcomes for at least some women.
A Larger Context
Long before PFAS entered mainstream conversation, scientists were already raising concerns about how synthetic chemicals interact with the human endocrine system.
In Our Stolen Future (1996), authors Theo Colborn, Dianne Dumanoski, and John Peterson Myers explored how low-dose chemical exposures may interfere with hormonal signaling, fertility, development, and reproductive health, often in ways traditional toxicology models weren't built to capture.
The book helped introduce a concept that's now widely accepted in environmental health: that timing, accumulation, and chronic low-level exposure may matter just as much as acute toxicity. At the time, the focus was compounds like DDT and PCBs. Today, attention has shifted toward PFAS and other persistent chemicals found in drinking water, food packaging, textiles, cookware, cosmetics, and household dust.
Nearly three decades later, the broader questions raised in Our Stolen Future, fertility decline, hormone disruption, developmental vulnerability, cumulative chemical burden, remain active areas of investigation. According to the UN Environment Programme's Global Chemicals Outlook, global chemical production has continued to grow, which is part of why that history still feels current rather than settled.
Why Does This Matter for Women's Health?
This isn't about fear over forever chemicals and fertility. It's about recognizing that modern environments are chemically different from the ones humans evolved within.
Women's health can't be separated from environmental health. Fertility, thyroid function, metabolism, cycle health, energy, and mood are deeply interconnected systems. When compounds persist in blood, tissue, drinking water, household dust, cookware, clothing, and food packaging for years at a time, the conversation shifts from a single exposure to cumulative physiological load.
Exposure is rarely singular. PFAS don't exist in isolation, and neither do phthalates, BPA, or flame retardants. The body experiences them collectively and repeatedly. The CDC's biomonitoring data confirms measurable levels of dozens of these chemicals in the average American, which is why the Endocrine Society and NIEHS both focus on long-term cumulative burden, not just acute toxicity.
Where You Have Agency
You don't have to change everything overnight. Reduction is cumulative, and small, consistent shifts lower total body burden over time. Start where exposure repeats most often and where a change is realistic. For a fuller room-by-room breakdown of where these exposures hide at home, The Clean Home Audit is a good companion to this section.
Water. If PFAS are a concern in your local supply, choose a filtration system specifically tested or certified for PFAS reduction. Reverse osmosis tends to be the most consistently effective option; some activated-carbon systems reduce certain PFAS too, though performance depends on the system and the compound.
Cookware. Replace damaged or deteriorating nonstick cookware when it reaches the end of its life. Stainless steel, cast iron, carbon steel, and well-made ceramic reduce reliance on fluorinated coatings.
Textiles. When buying new rugs, upholstery, clothing, or outdoor gear, ask whether PFAS-based stain- or water-resistant treatments were used rather than assuming every waterproof product contains them.
Food packaging. Cut back on grease-resistant disposable packaging where practical, and transfer hot food into glass, ceramic, or stainless steel at home rather than leaving it in the container it came in.
Cosmetics. Some long-wear and waterproof formulas have historically used fluorinated ingredients, though this varies by brand. Look for companies that specifically disclose their PFAS policies rather than assuming an entire category is a problem.
This is not a shopping list. It's discernment: noticing the exposures you repeat most often and asking whether some of them are necessary.
Closing Reflection
Exposure science can make modern life feel impossibly complicated if we let it. I don't think that's the point of it.
The value of knowing more isn't that it gives us one more thing to fear. It gives us the ability to choose differently where the choice is ours. We can't control the history of PFAS contamination, and no woman should carry the responsibility of solving an environmental problem through perfect personal behavior. But within the places we do have agency, the water we drink, the materials we bring into our homes, the products we replace when they've reached the end of their life, awareness matters.
None of those choices is everything. Together, they're something. And that's enough reason to begin.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do PFAS affect fertility?
Emerging research suggests they may. PFAS, often called "forever chemicals," have been associated with reduced fertility, longer time to pregnancy, pregnancy complications, and changes in reproductive hormones in some human studies. Researchers have also detected PFAS in ovarian follicular fluid, placental tissue, cord blood, and breast milk. While PFAS are unlikely to be the sole cause of infertility, many reproductive specialists now consider reducing unnecessary exposure to be a reasonable part of preconception care as the evidence continues to grow.
How can I reduce my toxic load if I'm trying to get pregnant?
Preparing for pregnancy is one of the best times to reduce everyday environmental exposures. Start with the highest-impact changes: filter your drinking water, avoid heating food in plastic, replace scratched nonstick cookware with stainless steel or cast iron, improve your indoor air quality, and choose fragrance-free personal care and cleaning products whenever possible. Focus on eating mostly whole foods, prioritize organic produce where pesticide exposure is highest, and support your body's natural detoxification systems through adequate sleep, hydration, movement, and regular bowel function. The goal is not perfection. It is to reduce your cumulative exposure while creating the healthiest possible environment for both you and your future baby.
What should I avoid if I am trying to get pregnant?
Preparing for pregnancy isn't about eliminating every possible exposure. It's about reducing the ones that happen every day and have the strongest evidence behind them. Start by avoiding heated plastic food containers, scratched nonstick cookware, smoking and secondhand smoke, excessive alcohol, and products containing undisclosed "fragrance," which can include endocrine-disrupting chemicals such as phthalates. Choose filtered drinking water when possible, limit high-mercury fish like swordfish and king mackerel, and prioritize organic versions of the Dirty Dozen produce when your budget allows. Just as importantly, support your body's natural resilience with nutrient-dense foods, quality sleep, regular movement, and stress management.
Can I test my toxic load?
Yes, certain lab tests can measure your exposure to specific environmental chemicals, although no single test measures your entire "toxic load." Comprehensive panels, such as the Vibrant Wellness Toxin Zoomer, analyze urine for a wide range of environmental compounds, including some pesticides, phthalates, parabens, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and other chemical metabolites. These tests can help identify patterns of exposure and provide a starting point for reducing everyday sources. Results should always be interpreted alongside your medical history and symptoms with a qualified healthcare practitioner, as an elevated result does not necessarily indicate illness, and a normal result does not rule out all environmental exposures.
Can water filters remove PFAS?
Yes, some can. Reverse-osmosis systems and certain activated-carbon filters can reduce PFAS in drinking water, but effectiveness varies by filter, PFAS compound, water conditions, and how consistently the filter is maintained. Look for a system specifically tested or certified for PFAS reduction rather than assuming every standard water filter will perform the same way.
How long do PFAS stay in the body?
It depends on the compound. Some PFAS can remain measurable in the blood for years because the body eliminates them slowly. That is part of what makes repeated exposure important. A single source is rarely the whole story; the larger concern is ongoing exposure over time.
What are PFAS (forever chemicals)?
PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a large family of synthetic chemicals used for properties such as resistance to water, grease, oil, and stains. They have been used in products including certain nonstick cookware, waterproof and stain-resistant fabrics, food packaging, cosmetics, and industrial applications. They are called “forever chemicals” because many PFAS resist breaking down in the environment, and some can remain in the human body for years.