Scientists in Rome discovered twelve particles in the placentas of four healthy mothers with a normal course of their pregnancy. Since only a small portion of each placenta has been examined, the scientists expect the total number of microplastic particles to be much higher.
Plastic inhaled
“It’s like having a cyborg baby, which is no longer just composed of human cells,” said study leader Antonio Ragusa, according to the British newspaper The Guardian. Ragusa, director of obstetrics and gynecology at a hospital in Rome, says the mothers were shocked.
The plastic probably came in because the mothers swallowed or inhaled it. The pieces were about 0.01 millimeters in size and differed in color. The plastic particles came from cosmetic products and paint, among other things.
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Impact unknown
It is not yet known what the impact of the microplastic is on the body of the mothers. The scientists fear that the particles contain chemicals that could affect the development of the fetuses in the long term.
Microplastic is increasingly found. Research from an Irish university recently found that plastic bottle-fed babies can ingest more than a million pieces of microplastic every day.
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