In a shocking discovery, researchers have first time ever detected microplastics in human ovarian follicular fluid. The study, released in the Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety journal, has enormous significance for the role of plastic pollution in women’s reproductive health. The study, which was conducted in Salerno, Italy, examined samples of follicular fluid from 18 women undergoing treatment with assisted reproduction. Microplastics were found in 14 of the samples, supporting the pervasiveness of the contaminants.
Microplastics are small fragments of plastic, smaller than 5 millimetres long, that are created when larger fragments of plastic break down. Microplastics infuse the world, contaminating food, water, air and now the human body. Where they settle, microplastics journey through the blood vessel system and get lodged in critical tissues, serving as carrier agents for poisonous chemicals like bisphenol A (BPA), phthalates, and PFAS, notorious endocrine disruptors.
Microplastic presence in ovarian follicular fluid is a problem since this type of fluid is highly important in egg maturation and interaction with hormones. Contamination in such a sensitive environment would interfere with egg maturation, decrease fertilization levels, and cause sterility. Microplastic exposure has already been implicated to contribute to ovarian dysfunction and disrupted ovarian maturation in experimental animals.
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Further, endocrine-disrupting chemicals transported by microplastics may cause hormonal imbalance and lead to the development of diseases like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), irregular menstrual cycles, and thyroid disorders. Their long-term impacts on reproductive health overall and on pregnancy are yet to be researched but are highly shocking.
More general health implications
Apart from reproductive health, microplastics have been discovered in human organs such as lungs, heart, and brain. Their capacity to trigger inflammation and offer toxins as a risk factor against autoimmune diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and some cancers.
A call for action
This finding brings the gravity of the need to reverse plastic pollution and its long-term effects. Limiting the use of plastics in daily life, particularly for cooking and food storage, can minimize exposure. The researchers also suggest more studies to learn the full scope of the effect of microplastics on human health and find ways to reverse it.
As microplastics penetrate deeper and deeper into even the most sensitive parts of the human body, their subtle but harmful presence necessitates urgent consideration and action.
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