Researchers have found microplastics in the placentas of babies.
Microplastics are tiny pieces of plastic that pollute the environment. Microplastics are not a specific kind of plastic, but microplastic particles can be found in plastic-based items or items designed for commercial use like cosmetics and plastic bottles. According to The Guardian, researchers say seeing the particles in the placentas of unborn babies is “a matter of great concern.”
Medical experts have yet to detail the impact microplastics could have on the body but mentioned that they could carry chemicals that could cause long-term damage or bother the fetus’s developing immune system. The article reports that the particles were either consumed or breathed in by mothers; researchers found them in four healthy women who had normal pregnancies.
Researchers only analyzed about 4 percent of each placenta, which could mean the number of microplastics may be a lot higher. The microplastics were about 10 microns in size (0.01), which means they can be carried in the bloodstream. “It is like having a cyborg baby: no longer composed only of human cells, but a mixture of biological and inorganic entities,” said Antonio Ragusa, director of obstetrics and gynecology at the San Giovanni Calibita Fatebenefratelli hospital in Rome, and who led the study. “The mothers were shocked.”
A study was published in the journal Environment International; the study’s researchers concluded that “Due to the crucial role of the placenta in supporting the fetus’s development and in acting as an interface with the external environment, the presence of potentially harmful plastic particles is a matter of great concern. Further studies need to be performed to assess if the presence of microplastics may trigger immune responses or may lead to the release of toxic contaminants, resulting in harm.”
Two other women who participated in the study did not have microplastics in their bodies, which could be the result of a different lifestyle or diet. For now, researchers say this is an urgent issue that must be looked into further.
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