Papers

61,005 results
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Systematic Review Tier 1

Investigating prenatal and perinatal factors on meconium microbiota: a systematic review and cohort study

Researchers reviewed 69 studies and conducted a cohort study to understand what shapes the gut microbiome of newborns at birth, finding that conditions during delivery — such as cesarean section versus vaginal birth — have a much stronger influence on early microbiota than factors during pregnancy. This suggests the initial seeding of a baby's gut microbiome happens mainly during the birth process itself.

2023 Pediatric Research 26 citations
Article Tier 2

Maternal and early life exposures and their potential to influence development of the microbiome

This review explores how maternal and early-life environmental exposures, including to emerging contaminants, can influence the development of the infant microbiome. Researchers found that factors such as nutrition, chemical exposures, and living conditions during pregnancy and early childhood shape the microbial communities that are critical for immune and metabolic development. The study highlights the importance of understanding how environmental pollutants may disrupt healthy microbiome establishment in vulnerable populations.

2022 Genome Medicine 68 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics Versus Microbiome: The Infantile Gut’s Battle for Health

This review examines how microplastics and nanoplastics disrupt the developing gut microbiome in infants, covering potential effects on microbial stabilization, antibiotic resistance gene transfer through biofilm formation, and implications for long-term metabolic and immune health.

2025 Journal of Neonatology
Article Tier 2

Associations of Plastic Bottle Exposure with Infant Fecal Microbiota, Short-Chain Fatty Acids, and Growth

Researchers investigated associations between plastic bottle use and infant gut health, examining whether exposure influences early fecal microbiota composition, short-chain fatty acid levels, and growth trajectories in infants.

2023 2 citations
Article Tier 2

The Association Between Microplastics and Microbiota in Placentas and Meconium: The First Evidence in Humans

Researchers analyzed placentas and meconium from 18 mother-infant pairs in Shanghai and found microplastics present in both, providing some of the first direct evidence of microplastic exposure during pregnancy and at birth. They also discovered correlations between microplastic presence and changes in microbial communities in these tissues. The study raises important questions about whether early-life microplastic exposure could influence infant health and development.

2022 Environmental Science & Technology 176 citations
Article Tier 2

Gut Microbiome and Small RNA Integrative-Omic Perspective of Meconium and Milk-FED Infant Stool Samples

Characterization of bacteriome, virome, and smallRNome in infant meconium and stool samples found that the gut environment changes rapidly after birth with the bacteriome, virome, and small RNA profiles all differing between meconium and milk-fed infant stool, suggesting transkingdom interactions shape early gut colonization.

2023 International Journal of Molecular Sciences 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics and child health: A scoping review of prenatal and early-life exposure routes and potential health risks

This scoping review examined how microplastics reach children through prenatal and early-life exposure routes, including placental transfer, breast milk, formula, and feeding bottles. The evidence indicates that microplastic exposure begins before birth and continues through infancy via multiple pathways, raising concerns about potential developmental health effects during these particularly vulnerable life stages.

2025 Toxicology Reports 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Intestinal flora and pregnancy complications: Current insights and future prospects

This review examines how changes in gut bacteria during pregnancy can contribute to complications like preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, and preterm birth. An imbalanced gut microbiome during pregnancy poses risks to both mother and baby, and the review explores whether gut bacteria may even colonize the uterus and placenta. While not directly about microplastics, this is relevant because microplastic ingestion has been shown to disrupt gut bacteria, meaning microplastic exposure during pregnancy could potentially worsen these risks.

2024 iMeta 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Detection of various microplastics in placentas, meconium, infant feces, breastmilk and infant formula: A pilot prospective study

In a pilot study of 18 mother-infant pairs, researchers detected microplastics in placentas, meconium (first stool), infant feces, breast milk, and infant formula. The finding of microplastics in breast milk and formula means that infants are exposed to microplastics from their earliest feedings, both natural and artificial. This study reveals that microplastic exposure begins before birth and continues through infancy, a critical period of development.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 392 citations
Article Tier 2

The Footprint of Microbiome in Pediatric Asthma—A Complex Puzzle for a Balanced Development

This review examines the growing body of evidence linking the human microbiome to the development of pediatric asthma. Researchers found that the composition of bacteria in the gut and respiratory tract during early childhood appears to influence whether children develop asthma. The study suggests that understanding these microbial patterns could open new approaches for preventing or managing asthma in children.

2023 Nutrients 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Particles Detected in Fetal Cord Blood, Placenta, and Meconium: A Pilot Study of Nine Mother–Infant Pairs in South China

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.

2024 Toxics 29 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics-gut microbiota interactions in an in vitro model of the toddler colon

Researchers used an in vitro model of the toddler colon to investigate how microplastics interact with the gut microbiota in young children. The study examined changes in microbial community composition and metabolic activity following microplastic exposure, providing early evidence of potential disruption to the developing gut ecosystem.

2025 SPIRE - Sciences Po Institutional REpository
Article Tier 2

Interactions of microplastics with the human gut microbiota of adults and infants using in vitro gut models

Using in vitro gut models mimicking adult and infant digestive systems, researchers studied how microplastics interact with the human gut microbiota, finding that plastic particles can alter microbial community composition. These disruptions to the gut microbiome could have downstream implications for immune function, digestion, and overall health, particularly in vulnerable infants.

2023 SPIRE - Sciences Po Institutional REpository
Article Tier 2

Resilience to Global Health Challenges Through Nutritional Gut Microbiome Modulation

This review explores how gut microbiome composition during early life influences long-term health, and how nutritional strategies can help build resilience against chronic diseases. Researchers highlight that environmental factors including microplastics and other contaminants can disrupt the developing gut microbiome, potentially contributing to allergies, obesity, and neurological conditions. The study suggests that targeted nutritional interventions to support healthy gut bacteria could help counteract some of these environmental exposures.

2025 Nutrients 2 citations
Article Tier 2

An Overview of the Possible Exposure of Infants to Microplastics

This review summarizes the ways infants can be exposed to microplastics, including through the placenta before birth, breast milk, infant formula, plastic feeding bottles, and toys. Infants may face higher risks because their bodies are still developing and are less able to process and remove these particles. The authors call for more research and greater attention to reducing microplastic exposure in products designed for babies.

2024 Life 25 citations
Article Tier 2

Detection of Microplastic in Human Placenta and Meconium in a Clinical Setting

Researchers detected microplastic particles larger than 50 micrometers in human placenta and meconium (a baby's first stool) collected during cesarean deliveries. This is significant because it provides direct evidence that microplastics are present in the womb and are being passed to babies before and during birth. The study emphasizes the need for careful contamination controls in clinical studies and calls for further research on nano-sized plastics in human tissue.

2021 Pharmaceutics 438 citations
Article Tier 2

Understanding the implications of microplastics on maternal health during pregnancy, gut dysbiosis, and gestational diabetes mellitus

This review examines how microplastic exposure during pregnancy may contribute to gut dysbiosis, inflammation, and metabolic complications including gestational diabetes. Researchers describe how micro- and nanoplastics can cross epithelial barriers, act as endocrine disruptors, and alter the gut-brain axis through neuroinflammatory effects. The study highlights the potential for microplastics to compound health risks during pregnancy through multiple biological pathways.

2025 Journal of Reproductive Healthcare and Medicine 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics and their interactions with microbiota

This review examines how microplastics interact with microbiota (the communities of microorganisms in the environment and in living bodies). Microplastics can carry harmful bacteria and disrupt the natural balance of microbial communities in soil, water, and the human gut. The disruption of gut microbiota by microplastics is particularly concerning because a healthy gut microbiome is essential for immune function, digestion, and overall health.

2023 Heliyon 64 citations
Article Tier 2

In vitro gut models reveal how microplastics interact with human microbiome in adults and infants.

Researchers used in vitro gut models to investigate how microplastics interact with the human gut microbiome in both adults and infants, finding differences in microbial community responses depending on life stage. The study provides mechanistic insights into how microplastic ingestion may differentially affect gut health across age groups.

2023 SPIRE - Sciences Po Institutional REpository
Article Tier 2

What Health Concerns Could Micro and Nanoplastics Pose for Infants? A Review

Microplastics and nanoplastics have been detected in human placentas, meconium, and infant faeces, meaning babies can be exposed before and immediately after birth. This review examines what these early-life exposures might mean for infant health and development, and discusses broader policy responses to reduce plastic overproduction as the most direct route to protecting future generations.

2023 Preprints.org 1 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

Impact of Microplastics on Pregnancy and Fetal Development: A Systematic Review

A systematic review of 12 studies confirmed the presence of microplastics ranging from 2.1 to 100 micrometers in human placentas and fetal tissue. Microplastic levels correlated with reduced birthweight, affected gestational age, diminished microbiome diversity, and impaired fetal growth and development, with lifestyle choices influencing placental microplastic burden.

2024 Cureus 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Exploring the Crucial Role of the Gut Microbiome in Advancing Food Processing Technologies

This review explores the role of gut microbiome composition in food processing and technology development, examining how microbial communities influence fermentation, nutrient bioavailability, and food safety, with implications for probiotic and prebiotic product design.

2025 Food science and nutrition
Article Tier 2

Associations of Plastic Bottle Exposure with Infant Growth, Fecal Microbiota, and Short-Chain Fatty Acids

Researchers examined whether plastic bottle use at three months of age was associated with infant growth, gut microbiota, and short-chain fatty acid levels over the first year of life. They found that plastic bottle frequency was not strongly linked to measures of body fat or growth, and initial associations with gut bacteria were weakened after adjusting for diet. The study calls for further research into health effects from other plastic-based products and direct measurements of microplastic exposure in infants.

2023 Microorganisms 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Fate of microplastics in human digestive in vitro environment and study of the dialogue between epithelium, microbiota and mucus

Researchers used an in vitro human digestive model to track the fate of microplastics through simulated gastrointestinal conditions, investigating how MPs interact with digestive physico-chemical parameters, the epithelium, gut microbiota, and mucus layer, with particular attention to the vulnerable infant population.

2022 theses.fr (ABES)