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Maternal exposure to polyethylene micro- and nanoplastics impairs umbilical blood flow but not fetal growth in pregnant mice
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In a mouse study, pregnant mice exposed to polyethylene microplastics (the most common type of plastic) through drinking water showed a 43% increase in umbilical blood flow, suggesting abnormal placental function. While fetal growth was not affected, these changes raise concerns that microplastic exposure during pregnancy could lead to complications by disrupting how the placenta works.
While microplastics have been recently detected in human blood and the placenta, their impact on human health is not well understood. Using a mouse model of environmental exposure during pregnancy, our group has previously reported that exposure to polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics throughout gestation results in fetal growth restriction. While polystyrene is environmentally relevant, polyethylene is the most widely produced plastic and amongst the most commonly detected microplastic in drinking water and human blood. In this study, we investigated the effect of maternal exposure to polyethylene micro- and nanoplastics on fetal growth and placental function. Healthy, pregnant CD-1 dams were divided into three groups: 106 ng/L of 740-4990 nm polyethylene with surfactant in drinking water (n = 12), surfactant alone in drinking water (n = 12) or regular filtered drinking water (n = 11). At embryonic day 17.5, high-frequency ultrasound was used to investigate the placental and fetal hemodynamic responses following exposure. While maternal exposure to polyethylene did not impact fetal growth, there was a significant effect on placental function with a 43% increase in umbilical artery blood flow in the polyethylene group compared to controls (p < 0.01). These results suggest polyethylene has the potential to cause adverse pregnancy outcomes through abnormal placental function.
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Microplastic exposure in daily life and the risk of pregnancy-induced hypertension: A study on the association between environmental pollutants and maternal-fetal health outcomes
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Gestational exposure to polystyrene microplastics incurred placental damage in mice: Insights into metabolic and gene expression disorders
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