Forever Chemicals Linked to Childhood Asthma Risk

New research indicates a significant link between prenatal exposure to PFAS, often called "forever chemicals," and an increased risk of childhood asthma. A study published on April 9, 2026, in PLOS Medicine reported that very high exposure levels during pregnancy could elevate a child's asthma risk by 44%.

The study concentrated on Ronneby, a town in southern Sweden, where a portion of the municipal water supply was contaminated by runoff from a military airfield. This contamination led to PFAS levels in the drinking water over 200 times higher than in neighboring areas. Researchers compared children born in Ronneby to those in the wider county.

Annelise Blomberg, lead investigator from Lund University, stated that children whose mothers experienced very high PFAS exposure during pregnancy showed a substantially higher incidence of clinically diagnosed asthma. Unlike previous studies with inconclusive results from background exposure levels, the Ronneby situation allowed for examination across a much broader exposure range.

Approximately 16% of children exposed to low levels of PFAS were diagnosed with asthma, compared to 27% of those exposed to high levels. The study concluded that these results point to a substantial, previously unrecognized public health consequence of PFAS contamination and suggest potentially lasting impacts on children's respiratory health. Further studies and replication in other highly exposed populations are recommended.