Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Maternal microplastic exposure during pregnancy and risk of gestational diabetes mellitus associated with gut dysbiosis

Researchers reviewed evidence linking microplastic exposure during pregnancy to gestational diabetes, with additives in microplastics acting as endocrine disruptors that interfere with insulin signaling and disrupt the gut microbiome. The findings suggest that microplastic ingestion may contribute to blood sugar dysregulation in pregnant women, with implications for both mother and fetal health.

2023 Medicine in Microecology 10 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

Emerging Contaminants: An Emerging Risk Factor for Diabetes Mellitus

This review examines how emerging environmental contaminants, including microplastics and nanoplastics, may contribute to the development and progression of diabetes. These contaminants can disrupt glucose metabolism through oxidative stress, inflammation, and interference with hormone signaling. The findings suggest that chronic exposure to microplastics and other pollutants in food and water could be an overlooked risk factor for the growing global diabetes epidemic.

2024 Toxics 16 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

Polystyrene microplastics disturb maternal glucose homeostasis and induce adverse pregnancy outcomes

Pregnant mice exposed to polystyrene microplastics developed abnormal blood sugar levels and experienced poor pregnancy outcomes, including placental damage and restricted fetal growth. The study found that microplastics disrupted glucose metabolism through inflammation and a cellular stress response, suggesting that microplastic exposure during pregnancy could contribute to complications similar to gestational diabetes.

2024 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 28 citations
Article Tier 2

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

In a study of pregnant women, those with pregnancy-induced high blood pressure had 1.46 times more microplastics in their umbilical cords than healthy pregnant women, with polyethylene and polycarbonate being especially elevated. Microplastic exposure was linked to use of plastic containers and takeout meals, and higher levels were associated with worse outcomes for newborns. While this preliminary study has limitations, it suggests that everyday microplastic exposure during pregnancy may be connected to dangerous blood pressure complications.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Placental plastics in young women from general population correlate with reduced foetal growth in IUGR pregnancies

Researchers analyzed placenta samples from 43 women and found plastic particles present, then examined whether their presence correlated with birth outcomes. They found a significant association between higher concentrations of placental plastics and reduced fetal growth in pregnancies affected by intrauterine growth restriction. The study provides early evidence suggesting that plastic particle accumulation in the placenta may be linked to impaired fetal development.

2022 Environmental Pollution 156 citations
Article Tier 2

Prenatal exposure to microplastics and biomarkers of renal dysfunction in umbilical cord blood: Evidence from a birth cohort in China

Researchers analyzed placental tissue from 1,350 pregnant women in China for microplastic content and tested associations with renal biomarkers in umbilical cord blood, finding that prenatal microplastic exposure was linked to elevated markers of kidney dysfunction in newborns.

2025 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in maternal amniotic fluid and their associations with gestational age

Researchers detected microplastics in 80% of amniotic fluid samples from 40 pregnant women, with polyethylene being the most common type, and found that higher microplastic levels were associated with shorter pregnancies. Seafood consumption and bottled water intake were linked to higher microplastic levels in the amniotic fluid, suggesting these are key exposure routes that could affect fetal development.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 51 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessment of Microplastic Exposure in Diabetic Patients Using Insulin

Researchers compared microplastic levels in blood samples from 50 insulin-dependent diabetic patients and 50 healthy controls. The study found that diabetic patients had significantly higher serum microplastic levels than healthy individuals, and that patients receiving more frequent insulin injections had higher concentrations, suggesting a possible association between insulin delivery methods and microplastic exposure.

2025 Toxics 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Deciphering the Role of the Gut Microbiota in Exposure to Emerging Contaminants and Diabetes: A Review

This review explores the connection between exposure to emerging environmental contaminants, including microplastics and nanoplastics, and disruptions to gut microbiota that may influence glucose metabolism and diabetes risk. Researchers found that these pollutants can alter the composition and function of gut microbial communities through multiple mechanisms. The study suggests that the gut microbiome may be a key pathway through which environmental contaminants affect metabolic health.

2024 Metabolites 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Exposure to microplastics during pregnancy and fetal liver function

Researchers detected microplastics in the placentas of nearly 90% of over 1,000 pregnant women and found that higher placental microplastic levels were linked to elevated liver enzymes in umbilical cord blood. This suggests that microplastics crossing the placenta may affect fetal liver function before birth, raising concerns about the health effects of prenatal plastic exposure.

2025 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Plasticizing Pregnancy: Microplastics Identified in Expectant Mothers’ Feces

Researchers detected microplastic polymers in the feces of pregnant women in Indonesia, providing evidence of microplastic exposure during pregnancy. The study identified several types of plastic particles present in the samples. The findings raise concerns about maternal microplastic exposure and highlight the need for further research into potential effects during pregnancy.

2024 Environmental Health Insights 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Exploring the micro- and nanoplastics–diabetes nexus: Shattered barriers, toxic links, and methodological horizons

This review examines growing evidence that micro- and nanoplastics may contribute to diabetes by disrupting blood sugar regulation, insulin signaling, and fat metabolism through oxidative stress and inflammation. Animal studies show that plastic particles can damage the pancreas, liver, and gut in ways that mirror the development of diabetes, though human studies are still limited. The review calls for more research into whether everyday microplastic exposure could be a hidden factor in the global rise of metabolic diseases.

2025 Environmental Pollution 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Quantitation and identification of microplastics accumulation in human placental specimens using pyrolysis gas chromatography mass spectrometry

Researchers analyzed 62 human placenta samples and found microplastics in every single one, with concentrations ranging from 6.5 to 685 micrograms per gram of tissue. Polyethylene, the most common plastic in everyday products, made up 54% of the plastics found. This widespread presence of microplastics in placentas raises concerns about fetal exposure during pregnancy and potential effects on development.

2024 Toxicological Sciences 194 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in human urine: Characterisation using μFTIR and sampling challenges using healthy donors and endometriosis participants

Researchers analyzed urine samples from healthy individuals and endometriosis patients, detecting microplastics in the majority of both groups, with 22 different polymer types found. While microplastic levels were not significantly different between the two groups, the finding that plastics like polyethylene, polystyrene, and PTFE are being excreted in human urine confirms that these particles are circulating through the body.

2024 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 68 citations
Article Tier 2

Association Between Microplastic Exposure and Cognitive Function Decline

Researchers detected PET and polypropylene microplastics in blood, urine, and feces of study participants and found a significant association between higher microplastic concentrations in biological fluids and greater cognitive function decline, particularly among those with the highest exposure levels.

2025 Alzheimer s & Dementia
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution: A potent threat for metabolic disruption in mammals

This review examines the evidence linking microplastic exposure to metabolic disruption, covering mechanisms by which microplastics and their associated chemical additives may interfere with hormonal regulation, glucose metabolism, and lipid homeostasis. The authors identify microplastics as a potent emerging threat to metabolic health.

2024 INDIAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY AND ALLIED SCIENCES
Article Tier 2

Association between microplastics in human amniotic fluid and pregnancy outcomes: Detection and characterization using Raman spectroscopy and pyrolysis GC/MS

Using two different detection methods, researchers confirmed the presence of microplastics in the amniotic fluid of pregnant women, finding six types of plastic particles including Teflon, polystyrene, and ABS. While no immediate link to pregnancy complications was found in this study, the confirmed presence of plastics in the fluid surrounding developing babies highlights the need for larger long-term studies.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 34 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

Adverse Effects of Nanoplastics Administration on the Metabolic Profile and Glucose Control in Mice

This systematic review examines how nanoplastic exposure in mice affects metabolism and blood sugar control. The findings suggest that ingesting nanoplastics may disrupt metabolic processes and glucose regulation in mammals, raising concerns about potential links between everyday plastic exposure and metabolic health conditions like diabetes in humans.

2025 Current Developments in Nutrition 1 citations
Meta Analysis Tier 1

The effects of exposure to microplastics on female reproductive health and pregnancy outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis

This meta-analysis pools data from multiple studies to assess how microplastic exposure affects female reproductive health and pregnancy outcomes. The findings suggest that microplastic accumulation may be linked to adverse effects on fertility and pregnancy, highlighting an important and underexplored area of concern for women's health.

2025 Reproductive Toxicology 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Mechanistic study of plastic monomers in gestational diabetes mellitus: A network toxicology and molecular docking approach

Using network toxicology and molecular docking, researchers investigated how plastic monomers interact with molecular targets involved in gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). The analysis identified shared gene targets and signaling pathways linking plastic monomer exposure to insulin resistance and inflammatory mechanisms relevant to GDM development.

2025 PLoS ONE
Article Tier 2

Chronic microplastic exposure: a growing threat to metabolic health in India

This review contextualizes the threat of chronic microplastic exposure to metabolic health in India, where contamination is widespread in water, food, and air, and examines evidence linking microplastic ingestion to metabolic disorders including obesity and diabetes.

2025 International Journal of Research in Medical Sciences
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in maternal blood, fetal appendages, and umbilical vein blood

Researchers detected 16 different types of microplastics in maternal blood, umbilical cord blood, and fetal tissues (placenta, amniotic fluid, fetal membrane, and umbilical cord) from 12 pregnant women who delivered by cesarean section. The most common plastics found were polyamide and polyurethane, and microplastic levels in amniotic fluid increased with maternal age and pre-pregnancy body weight, confirming that these particles can pass from mother to fetus.

2024 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 36 citations