Researchers make alarming discovery after studying female reproductive system: 'A detrimental effect'

Microplastics are a growing concern for people inside and outside the scientific community. After decades of plastic production and littering, they're found everywhere, from the ocean to raindrops to human blood, and the effects of their presence are not yet fully understood. However, a researcher has expressed grave concerns after reviewing studies on how microplastics affect the female reproductive system.

What's happening?

The systematic review was published in the journal Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics, hosted online by Springer Nature, in January. It looked at all the experimental studies published from 2021 to 2023 that could be found on major databases and that had to do with the effects of microplastics on "reproductive organs, hormone levels, fertility rates, and offspring development in female subjects," including both human and animal studies.

After evaluating the experiments for potential bias, the study's author, Özen Inam, was left with 15 to examine.

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Based on those studies, Inam found that microplastics impact female reproduction in multiple ways. They decrease ovary function, lower fertility, disrupt hormone levels, and affect embryo development and offspring health.

Why is the impact of microplastics important?

We are exposed to microplastics every day in our environment and in our food and water. The science is only beginning to catch up to this widespread exposure.

While the findings are preliminary, they're not good. Microplastics have been linked to multiple cancers, digestive problems, and fertility issues in both men and women. More research is needed to probe the details and the full extent of the problem, but it's increasingly clear that widespread microplastic pollution is a threat to everyone.

What's being done about microplastics' health effects?

Studies such as this one are the first step in treating health problems that arise from microplastic exposure — and more work is needed in this field.

"The evidence from experimental studies suggests that microplastics have a detrimental effect on female reproductive health," said Inam. "However, the variation in study quality highlights the need for more rigorous research to confirm these results and better understand the underlying mechanisms."

We can also start addressing the microplastic problem by avoiding plastics as much as possible in our daily lives.

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