A group of compounds used in a variety of products, including nonstick cookware, may influence a baby's growth in the womb and after birth, a new study suggests.
In the study, pregnant women who were exposed to high levels of polyfluoroalkyl compounds, or PFCs, had babies that were smaller at birth and larger at age 20 months compared with those born to women exposed to lower levels of the compounds.
The results held even after the researchers adjusted for factors that could influence the babies' weights, including the mother's smoking habits and weight before pregnancy.
The findings agree with previous studies on the effect of PFC exposure during in-utero development. A recent study in Denmark found that girls exposed to PFCs in the womb were more likely to be overweight at age 20, said study researcher Michele Marcus, a professor of epidemiology at Emory University's Rollins School of Public Health.
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