Scientists discover concerning evidence that parents can pass health risk on to children: 'Accumulating evidence'

Mounting evidence suggests that microplastics can infiltrate babies' bodies before they're even born, and a new study ties prenatal exposure to asthma risk.

What's happening?

The new research found that prenatal exposure to certain microplastic particles may alter the neonatal gut microbiome in a way that increases asthma risk, HCPLive reported. The team used mouse model research to show that offspring predisposition to asthma is linked to gut microbiome changes after exposure to airborne particles.

In their paper, the authors state that while microplastics are increasingly being found in humans, "accumulating evidence implies health risks, but often no link to disease is seen, making causality hard to establish."

Why is this study important?

Microplastics are a growing public health concern, as they've been discovered inside many of our organs, including brains, placentas, and lungs. One study even found them in every semen sample examined, raising concerns about their effect on reproduction.

While researchers are still investigating the possible impacts of this exposure, microplastics have been linked with health problems such as cancer, dementia, and impaired blood flow in the brain.

Babies are particularly vulnerable to microplastics, with experts saying they ingest 10 times more plastics than adults. This exposure comes from everyday household items, including their bottles, and even their mothers' breast milk. 

What's being done about microplastics?

While microplastics are difficult to remove from the environment, scientists have found a few solutions. For instance, one team discovered that egg whites can filter these tiny plastic particles out of water. Plus, some researchers are investigating sustainable plastic alternatives such as "vegan spider silk" and biodegradable varieties made of barley starch and sugar beet.

You can limit your exposure to microplastics and reduce the amount of new plastics entering the environment by purchasing special water filters, supporting brands with plastic-free packaging, and opting for reusable items instead of single-use plastics.

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