Scientists make concerning discovery after analyzing placentas from premature births: 'It is important to increase people's awareness'

After analyzing 175 placentas, U.S. researchers discovered a link between premature births and microplastics.

While scientists don't yet know if the link can be chalked up to causation or correlation, it shouldn't be overlooked. As Enrico Barrozo, one of the researchers, told The Guardian, "I think it is important to increase people's awareness of microplastics and their associations with potential human health effects."

What's happening?

The researchers studied 100 full-term placentas and 75 premature ones. The Guardian reported that microplastics were found at a 50% higher rate in the premature placentas. This was a "big surprise" for the researchers.

Researcher Kjersti Aagaard, of Boston Children's Hospital, told The Guardian, "Combined with other recent research, this study adds to the growing body of evidence that demonstrates a real risk from exposure to plastics on human health and disease."

Microplastics are bad news. They have been linked to numerous health conditions, including liver fibrosis and lipid buildup, leading to fatty liver disease.

Why are these findings important?

The more that's discovered about preterm births, the better. "Preterm birth is the leading cause of infant death worldwide," according to The Guardian, and the reasons for approximately two-thirds of preterm births are unknown.

A link between air pollution and premature births had already been established, so it stood to reason that microplastics might also affect them. 

This new study also adds to the limited knowledge of these particles. Microplastics have historically been studied in waterways, as they're easier to find there, per Yale Sustainability. Scientists have found that fish and other sea creatures ingest microplastics, leading to health problems not just for the animals directly consuming them but also for the predators that eat those animals. 

Microplastics in other locations have been studied less frequently as a result. Scientists still don't know the extent to which microplastics have infiltrated the air, the land, and so on.

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Learning more about microplastics will give people the opportunity to react accordingly and, hopefully, do something about them.

What's being done about the effects of microplastics?

Since there's no definitive proof that microplastics directly cause premature births, nothing is currently being done. However, there are measures you can take to limit your exposure. 

Imari Walker-Franklin, a microplastics expert at RTI International, told The Cool Down that "moving towards a reusable water bottle, filtering your water with reverse osmosis, or [getting] a general Brita water filter" can reduce the amount you consume. That's because single-use plastics, such as water bottles, contain more microplastics. 

The next step for researchers is to popularize preventative measures. Barrozo told The Guardian, "Those interventions need to be studied in order to show that there's a benefit to avoiding these plastics."

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