Microplastics in placentas linked to premature births, the study suggests | Plastic

A study revealed that microplastic and nanoplastic pollution was significantly higher in placentas from premature births than in term births.

The levels were much higher than previously detected in the blood, suggesting that the tiny plastic particles accumulated in the placenta. But the higher average levels found in shorter pregnancies were a “big surprise” for researchers, because longer terms should lead to greater accumulation.

Premature births are the main cause of infantile death in the world, and the reasons for two-thirds of premature births were unknown, said Dr. Enrico Barrozo, of the Baylor College of Medicine in Texas, in the United States. The link established between air pollution and millions of premature births prompted the research team to investigate plastic pollution.

The new study demonstrates only an association between microplastics and premature births. Additional research is necessary in cell cultures and animal models to determine if the link is causal. Microplastics are known to cause inflammation of human cells, and inflammation is one of the factors that causes the start of work.

Microplastics, broken down on plastic waste, polluted the entire planet of the summit of Mont Everest with the deepest oceans. People are already known to consume tiny particles via food, water and breathing them.

Microplastics were detected for the first time in placentas in 2020 and were also found in sperm, breast milk, brain, liver and bone marrow, indicating abundant contamination of the body of people. The impact on human health is little known, but microplastics have been linked to brain vascular accidents and heart attacks.

“Our study suggests the possibility that the accumulation of plastics could contribute to the occurrence of premature births,” said Professor Kjersti Aagaard, at the Boston children’s hospital in the United States. “Combined with other recent research, this study adds to all evidence that demonstrates a real risk of exposure to plastics on health and human diseases.”

Research was presented Thursday at the annual meeting of the Society for Materal-Fetal Medicine in Denver and was subject to a university review. The researchers analyzed 100 placentas from term birth (37.2 weeks, on average) and 75 from premature births (34 weeks), all from the Houston region.

An analysis with highly sensitive mass spectrometry found 203 micrograms of plastic per gram of fabric (µg / g) in premature placentas – more than 50% higher than the 130 µg / g in the term placentas.

Twelve types of plastic have been detected, with the most significant differences between full and premature birthplaces for PET, such as used in plastic bottles, PVC, polyurethane and polycarbonate.

Some mothers are more at risk of premature births, due to their age, their ethnic origin and their socioeconomic status. But a strong link between plastic particles and premature birth remained even when these factors were taken into account.

“This study has shown an association and not a causation,” said Barrozo. “But I think it is important to increase the awareness of people to microplastics and their associations with the potential effects of human health.”

The effectiveness of actions aimed at reducing people exposure to microplastics also required an urgent study, he said. “These interventions must be studied in order to show that there is an advantage to avoid these plastics.”