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Microplastic Particles Detected in Fetal Cord Blood, Placenta, and Meconium: A Pilot Study of Nine Mother–Infant Pairs in South China
Summary
In a pilot study of nine mother-infant pairs in China, researchers detected microplastics in the placenta, umbilical cord blood, and first stool of newborns, with meconium (baby's first stool) containing the most particles. This provides evidence that microplastics can transfer from mother to baby during pregnancy, raising concerns about plastic exposure during the most vulnerable stage of human development.
Microplastics (MPs) are emerging environmental pollutants. Pregnancy and infancy are sensitive windows for environmental exposure. However, few studies have investigated the presence of MPs in mother-infant pairs, or the exposure source. In this study, nine mother-infant pairs were recruited, and samples of placenta, cord blood, and meconium were collected. Information about the living environment and dietary habits were collected to determine the source of exposure during pregnancy. Micro-Raman spectroscopy was applied to identify MPs. In total, 9, 4, and 14 types of MPs were identified in the placenta, cord blood, and meconium samples, with particle counts of 34, 14, and 80, respectively. More than 80.47% of MPs detected in samples had a size of 100-400 μm. The abundance of MPs exhibited the order of meconium > placenta > cord blood (Hc = 14.959, p < 0.01). We found that the abundance of MPs in meconium from women who drank tea ≥ 3 times/week during pregnancy was lower than in those who drank less (p = 0.048). Our study presents evidence of MPs transfer via the placenta-cord blood-meconium pathway. We also found that the habit of drinking tea among pregnant women might be related to the abundance of MPs in meconium.