PFOA exposure disrupts hormone signaling and impairs embryo implantation in mice

A new experimental study has found that perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a widely used industrial chemical, can interfere with key biological processes required for successful embryo implantation, raising concerns about its potential impact on female fertility.

Researchers from Iran University of Medical Sciences investigated how oral exposure to PFOA affects ovarian hormone production and endometrial receptivity during early pregnancy using a mouse model. Their findings, published in Reproductive and Developmental Medicine, show that PFOA reduces progesterone levels, alters the uterine surface, and suppresses critical implantation-related cytokines, ultimately creating an environment that is unfavorable for embryo implantation.

PFOA is often called "forever chemicals" because they persist in the environment and accumulate in the human body. These chemicals are commonly found in non-stick cookware, food packaging, contaminated water, and many everyday consumer products. Previous studies have linked PFAS exposure to menstrual irregularities, premature menopause, and reduced ovarian reserve, but their effects on the implantation process have remained poorly understood.

To address this gap, the research team exposed pregnant mice to increasing oral doses of PFOA during the critical implantation window. They then examined hormone levels, uterine morphology, and gene expression associated with endometrial receptivity.

The study revealed that PFOA exposure reduced serum progesterone levels, a hormone essential for preparing the uterus for pregnancy. It caused a dose-dependent loss of pinopodes, which play an important role as primary attachment sites for the embryo. The researchers also found that PFOA significantly suppressed the expression of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), two cytokines that play a central role in communication between the embryo and the endometrium. Their reduction suggests that PFOA disrupts the molecular dialogue required for implantation to succeed.

"Our results show that PFOA alters several key pathways involved in endometrial receptivity," the authors conclude. "By reducing progesterone production, decreasing pinopode formation, and suppressing IL-1β and IL-6 expression, PFOA creates conditions that are detrimental to embryo implantation."

The researchers caution that further studies in humans are needed, and stress that their findings reinforce the urgency of addressing environmental endocrine disruptors in reproductive medicine. "Given the pervasive presence of these chemicals in daily life," they noted, "understanding their role in infertility is essential for protecting reproductive health."