Perinatal PFAS Impact Children's Development: Examining the Roles of Placental Functional Multiomics and Protection by Maternal Exercise

The project aims to clarify the mechanisms linking prenatal PFAS exposure to fetal and offspring outcomes, specifically perturbations to placental function. It will also examine the poorly understood effects of postnatal PFAS exposures on child growth and development. Leveraging existing cohorts and a transdisciplinary team, the research will investigate how prenatal PFAS exposures affect placental molecular regulation and its association with growth and development. It will quantify postnatal PFAS exposure (offspring serum at 6, 24, and 60 months) to assess the combined impact of pre- and postnatal PFAS across a longitudinal follow-up period (at least 5 visits between birth and 60 months). Additionally, a randomized controlled trial of physical activity during pregnancy will be used to test if lifestyle changes can reduce prenatal PFAS burden or mitigate adverse offspring effects.