Uterine fibroids, the most common non-cancerous tumors in women of childbearing age, may change in volume during pregnancy. Scientists are working to understand the factors that influence these fluctuations. One possibility is that chemicals that disrupt hormonal signaling affect fibroid growth.
Researchers led by Katherine Grantz, M.D., M.S., from the Epidemiology Branch assessed potential connections between fibroid changes during pregnancy and exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)—chemicals used in grease- and water-resistant coatings for food packaging and other consumer products. Because PFAS do not degrade easily, they are often called “forever chemicals.”
The investigators evaluated levels of seven PFAS in blood samples from more than 2,600 participants in the Fetal Growth Studies-Singletons. Participants had up to six ultrasounds during which sonographers recorded the overall number of fibroids and the volume of the three largest fibroids.
The investigators found that higher levels of certain PFAS were linked to fibroid growth among women with small fibroids and decreases in fibroid volume among women with medium fibroids. They did not observe a link between PFAS levels and the prevalence or number of fibroids, suggesting that PFAS influences growth of existing fibroids rather than initiating fibroid development. The findings expand knowledge of fibroid changes during pregnancy.
NICHD co-authors of the paper include Susanna D. Mitro, Rajeshwari Sundaram, Shyamal Peddada, Zhen Chen, Jessica L. Gleason, and Cuilin Zhang.
Learn more about the Division of Population Health Research (DiPHR): https://www.nichd.nih.gov/about/org/dir/dph
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