A growing body of evidence suggests that everyday exposure to forever chemicals may be quietly increasing the risk of gestational diabetes, according to a major new scientific review. Researchers have found that pregnant people with higher exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS, are more likely to develop gestational diabetes and show changes in how their bodies regulate insulin. The findings come from the most comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis to date examining PFAS exposure and diabetes-related outcomes across the lifespan. The research brings new clarity to a field that has produced mixed results and highlights pregnancy as a particularly vulnerable period. Sandra India-aldana, co-first author of the study from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, explained: “This is the most comprehensive synthesis of evidence to date examining how PFAS exposure relates not only to diabetes risk, but also to the underlying clinical markers that precede disease. “Our findings suggest that pregnancy may be a particularly sensitive window during which PFAS exposure may increase risk for gestational diabetes.” The dangers of …