SHOCKING! Scientists discovered microplastics in human reproductive fluids
Microplastics are everywhere - in the air you breathe, the water you drink, food you eat. It has even entered the living tissue. Scientists have discovered microplastics in human reproductive fluids.
During the research presented at the 41st Annual Meeting of the
European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology
(ESHRE), the scientists revealed the presence of microplastics in human reproductive fluids. The recent discovery has raised concerns about its potential risks to fertility and reproductive health.
What are microplastics
Microplastics are plastic particles that are less than 5 millimeters (mm) in size. For better visualization, human hair is about 80,000 nanometers wide.
There are also microplastics, which are even smaller, invisible to the naked eye, and measuring smaller than one-thousandth of a millimeter. They are known as nanoplastics. These microplastics are formed from the chemical breakdown, aka decomposition, of larger plastic waste, including food packaging (like single-use water bottles), synthetic fabrics, and personal care products.
Microplastics in human reproductive fluids
To see if microplastics have invaded living tissue, the researchers analyzed follicular fluid from 29 women and seminal fluid from 22 men, both of which play critical roles in natural conception and assisted reproduction.
What they found was shocking. These reproductive fluids contained a variety of commonly used microplastic polymers, including polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polystyrene (PS), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyamide (PA), polypropylene (PP), and polyurethane (PU).
The scientists found the presence of
microplastics
in 69% of the follicular fluid samples, they analyzed. PTFE was the most common polymer, found in 31% of the samples.
This was followed by PP (28%), PET (17%), PA (14%), polyethylene (PE) (10%), PU (10%), and PS (7%), in descending order of prevalence.
They found microplastics in 55% of the seminal fluids collected from men. PTFE was the most prevalent polymer, identified in 41% of the samples. Other polymers detected included PS (14%), PET (9%), PA (5%), and PU (5%), though in lower concentrations.
What are experts saying
'Previous studies had already shown that microplastics can be found in various human organs.
As a result, we weren´t entirely surprised to find microplastics in fluids of the human reproductive system, but we were struck by how common they were – found in 69% of the women and 55% of the men we studied,' lead researcher Dr. Emilio Gomez-Sanchez said in a statement.
Microplastics pose a threat to environmental and public health. Though the researchers have found the presence of microplastics in human reproductive fluids, they are yet to understand how it may affect fertility, and its possible implications for human reproductive health.
'What we know from animal studies is that in the tissues where microplastics accumulate, they can induce inflammation, free radical formation, DNA damage, cellular senescence, and endocrine disruptions. It's possible they could impair egg or sperm quality in humans, but we don't yet have enough evidence to confirm that,' Dr. Gomez-Sanchez added.
They are planning to expand the research to include a larger cohort and collect detailed lifestyle and environmental exposure data.
Further study would explore the potential relationship between the presence of microplastics and oocyte and sperm quality.
Should you be concerned
Dr. Gomez-Sanchez said that fertility is influenced by many factors, such as age, health, and genetics. He said that the recent findings should not cause alarm among those trying to conceive. 'There's no need for alarm at this point. Microplastics are just one of many elements that may play a role in fertility.
However, it is sensible to consider ways of reducing our exposure to them. Simple steps, such as using glass containers to store and heat food, or limiting the amount of water we consume from plastic bottles, can help minimise our intake,' he said.
The Plastics Problem: Nano & Microplastics and Their Dangerous Impact on Heart Health
'Environmental factors influencing reproduction are certainly a reality, although not easy to measure objectively. The authors of this study found microplastics in over two-thirds of follicular fluids and more than 50% of semen fluids from the studied patients. Although the significance of these findings is not yet clear, they should be considered an additional argument in favour of avoiding the generalised use of plastics in our daily lives,' Professor Dr.
Carlos Calhaz-Jorge, Immediate Past Chair of ESHRE, added.
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