A new study from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus has identified perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), a type of 'forever chemical' found in numerous everyday products, as a significant risk to foetal facial development. Researchers found that even minimal exposure to PFDA can increase the likelihood of facial abnormalities in unborn babies by approximately 10 percent, including smaller eyes and jaw development issues. The chemical disrupts retinoic acid, a crucial substance for facial formation during early pregnancy, by blocking a key enzyme and suppressing its production, leaving the body with two compromised defenses. This disruption is particularly dangerous between weeks four and ten of pregnancy when facial features are forming, and PFDA's long-lasting presence in the body, with a biological half-life of about 12 years, means exposure can accumulate over time.