For the first time, microplastics have been found in the follicular fluids of women undergoing medically assisted procreation. It is the result of the research “First evidence of microplastics in human ovarian follicular fluid: an emerging threat to female fertility”, carried out by the Italians Luigi Montano, Salvatore Raimondo, Marina Piscopo, Maria Ricciardi, Antonino Guglielmino, Sandrine Chamayou, Raffaella Gentile, Mariacira Gentile, Paola Rapisarda, Gea Oliveri Conti, Margherita Ferrante, Oriana Motta and which will be presented at the VII National Congress of the Italian Society of Human Reproduction (Siru), starting tomorrow in Bari. Until 13 April, the major national experts and international in the field of infertility treatment.
This study – visible in preprint on the Medxriv platform and already submitted to an important international journal – through an innovative methodological approach, not only detected the presence of nano and microplastics (average concentration of 2191 particles per milliliter), but also the size beyond below 10 microns (average diameter of 4.48 microns), highlighting a correlation between the concentration of microplastics and some parameters linked to ovarian function. “This last aspect, in light of the negative effects on the female reproductive system well documented in the experimental field in the animal world, worries us quite a bit”, comments Luigi Montano, uroandrologist of the Salerno Local Health Authority, coordinator of the EcoFoodFertility research project, as well as Past President of Siru.
“These same substances, in fact, not only have a direct damaging effect on ovarian function through various mechanisms, primarily oxidative stress, but also act as a Trojan horse for other notoriously toxic substances – he explains – such as heavy metals, phthalates, bisphenols , dioxins, polychlorinated biphenyls and, according to recent studies, also vehicles for viruses, bacteria and protozoa. These are substances with dust-like dimensions, which penetrate deep into our organism and are introduced into the organism with the water we drink, the food that we eat, the air we breathe and also through the skin with cosmetics for example”.
The presence of microplastics had already been identified, again for the first time by the group led by Montano, in urine and semen, with works published respectively in the international journals Toxics in January 2023 and Science of The Total Environment in July 2023.
“In conclusion, this discovery represents confirmation of how plastic contamination should be considered an emergency to be addressed immediately and that the discovery of microplastics in the follicular fluid which is in direct contact with the female gametes represents in itself a threat significant to the integrity of our genetic heritage which is transmitted to future generations”, the authors of the study affirm unanimously.
“Infertility in Italy is a widespread problem that affects almost one couple in five of childbearing age – underlines Paola Piomboni, president of Siru – and the path of the infertile couple will be at the center of the debate and conference discussion, with particular reference to the importance of the multidisciplinary approach. Siru has recently published the guidelines for the treatment of infertile couples on which the diagnostic and therapeutic paths can finally be defined on the basis of scientific evidence. We will discuss, among the various topics, prevention of infertility and of the educational projects on the protection of reproductive health that we are bringing to schools, of the most innovative aspects in the management of infertile couples such as the application of artificial intelligence, as well as the psychological impact and difficulties in communication”.
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