Mothers with a concentration of PFOA in their blood have a greater likelihood of ending breastfeeding early, according to a new study in the journal Environmental Research.
PFOA was an unregulated chemical that's been phased out. It's been found in private water wells in North Bennington and Bennington, as well as in a public water source in Pownal.
The authors of the study looked at 336 mothers in Cincinnati who live near a plant that has emitted high volumes of the chemical.
The women had a 77 percent greater risk of ending breastfeeding by three months, and a 41 percent greater risk of ending breastfeeding by six months, according to the study.
The authors say animal studies suggest that PFOA can disrupt mammary gland development.
The chemical might also affect milk-protein genes, making the milk less palatable or limiting its supply.
“These should be on our radar as chemicals that might be affecting women’s ability to breastfeed," said lead author Megan Romano, a postdoctoral scholar in the Brown University School of Public Health.
Romano says she would like to do more studies to see if the chemical disrupts hormones in people the way it appears to in animals.
The Vermont Department of Health has begun testing the blood of people with contaminated wells.
The health department announced this week that it will offer three additional free blood clinics in late May and June for people who are affected by the PFOA contamination.
