Researchers have discovered microplastics in human ovarian follicular fluid for the first time, which is a discovery that may have significant health effects on women. The possible connection between plastic pollution and female fertility is a major worry raised by the peer-reviewed study that was published in Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety.
Researchers discovered microplastics in the follicular fluid of 14 of the 18 women receiving assisted reproductive therapy at a fertility clinic in Salerno, Italy. Plastic pollutants now have the potential to jeopardise this fluid, which is essential for hormonal signalling and egg formation.
“This discovery is an important warning signal about the invasiveness of these emerging contaminants,” said Luigi Montano, lead author of the study and a researcher at the University of Rome. He described the findings as ‘very alarming’, indicating how deeply microplastics have permeated the human body reaching even the reproductive organs.
Food, water, and air have previously been found to contain microplastics, which are tiny pieces created when bigger plastics break down. Their potential to transport harmful chemicals including bisphenol, phthalates, and PFAS compounds associated with hormone disruption, cancer, and neurotoxicity has long been a source of conjecture over their potential health effects.
According to Montano, who has previously discovered microplastics in human urine and semen, these particles could be a factor in the deterioration of sperm quality and other problems associated to fertility.“Men may be more susceptible, but this study shows women are also at risk facing problems like ovarian dysfunction, reduced oocyte maturation, and a lower fertilisation capacity,” he warned.
Scientists are afraid that these particles act as ‘Trojan horses,’ ferrying harmful chemicals into the body’s most sensitive areas, including the brain, placenta, and now ovaries. Researchers emphasise the need for more research to establish safe exposure levels despite mounting evidence of risk.
In addition, Montano is spearheading a different study to investigate how lifestyle modifications like switching to organic food and avoiding plastic in the kitchen could lower body microplastic levels. “Microplastics are difficult to eliminate, but using alternatives to plastic packaging, storage, and utensils can help reduce exposure,” he noted.
Because single-use goods like paper tea bags and coffee cups emit trillions of microplastic particles when they come into contact with hot liquids, experts are warning people to avoid cooking meals in plastic containers. For daily use, they advise moving to stainless steel, glass, or wood instead.
Given that microplastics are still present in harsh environments ranging from the summit of Mount Everest to the Mariana Trench, their covert infiltration into human health systems now seems to be more than just a remote environmental issue.
