Microplastics in the placenta linked to preterm births

In today’s world, microplastics – tiny plastic particles smaller than 5mm – are becoming increasingly prevalent.

The alarming reality is that microplastics have infiltrated every corner of our environment, from the depths of the ocean’s trenches to the peaks of the highest mountains.

These particles are so small that they are invisible without a microscope. However, their effects on the environment and human health are nothing close to invisible.

Emerging research has linked microplastics to cellular damage, inflammation, and potential long-term health risks.

Microplastics and preterm birth

At the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine’s (SMFM) annual gathering, The Pregnancy Meeting, new research on microplastics will take center stage.

The findings suggest that microplastics and nanoplastics are present in higher concentrations in the placentae of premature infants compared to full-term births.

The study was a collaborative effort among investigators at The University of New Mexico. The researchers used highly sophisticated mass spectrometry to analyze 175 placentae.

The study was focused on 100 full term placentae, while the rest were preterm, or before 37 weeks of gestation.

How do plastics reach the womb?

The presence of microplastics in the placenta raises critical questions: How do these tiny particles infiltrate the human body, and more importantly, how do they reach an unborn child?

Research suggests that microplastics enter the maternal bloodstream through contaminated food, drinking water, and even the air we breathe. These particles can penetrate the bloodstream and become deposited in multiple organs, including the placenta.

Previous studies have shown that people ingest substantial amounts of microplastics on a daily basis.

Exposure can also occur through inhaling airborne microplastics present in household dust, which originates from sources such as synthetic fabrics and industrial emissions.

Given their small size and chemical composition, microplastics may disrupt biological processes by carrying harmful additives or acting as vectors for other toxic substances. This raises concerns about their long-term effects on fetal development and pregnancy outcomes.

Identifying the pathways of microplastics

Understanding the pathways of microplastics in the human body is crucial for developing strategies to reduce exposure and mitigate risks for both mothers and newborns.

Study senior author Dr. Kjersti Aagaard is a maternal-fetal subspecialist and research professor at Boston Children’s Hospital and the HCA Institute, who also serves as the medical director of the Gulf Coast Division of HCA Healthcare.

“Advanced technology now enables us to accurately measure microplastics in ways we haven’t been able to in the past,” noted Dr. Aagaard.

Microplastics in preterm placentae

When the researchers analyzed the collected placentae, they found that the levels of microplastics and nanoplastics were significantly higher in those collected preterm. Moreover, these concentrations exceeded any previously recorded levels in human blood.

The researchers theorize that these plastic particles were accumulating in the placenta throughout pregnancy, with escalated exposure and accumulation occurring in instances of preterm birth.

Study lead author Dr. Enrico R. Barrozo is an expert in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston.

“The finding of higher placental concentrations among preterm births was surprising because it was counterintuitive to what you might expect if it was merely a byproduct of the length of time of the pregnancy,” said Dr. Barrozo.

Preterm delivery and microplastic accumulation

Dr. Aagaard noted that a preterm delivery not only accumulated more microplastics and nanoplastics in its placenta relative to term, but did so at an earlier time point in the pregnancy.

“When combined with other recent research, this study adds to the growing body of evidence, ranging from heart disease to potentially stroke, that demonstrates a real risk of exposure to plastics on human health and disease,” said Dr. Aagaard.

The study’s abstract was published recently in the January 2025 issue of Pregnancy, a new open-access journal and the first official journal for the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine.

The findings raise an urgent question: How can we mitigate the risks posed by microplastics to human health, particularly in early life?

The full study was published in the journal Pregnancy.

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