Can 'biodegradable' PLA plastic packaging harm a developing baby during pregnancy?

What's actually in it

Polylactic acid (PLA) is the "biodegradable" plastic used in compostable cups, utensils, food containers, and 3D printing. It's made from corn starch or sugarcane, so companies market it as eco-friendly. But PLA doesn't fully break down in your gut or in most home compost setups. Instead, it fragments into nanoplastics, tiny particles that can cross biological barriers. When these particles come from food containers or cups, you swallow them with your meal.

What the research says

A 2026 study in PLoS Biol tested what happens when PLA nanoplastics reach the placenta during pregnancy. The nanoplastics disrupted a key protein called GATA2 that controls how blood vessels form in the placenta. Without proper blood vessel development, the placenta couldn't deliver enough oxygen and nutrients to the fetus.

The result was intrauterine growth restriction: babies that were smaller than they should have been. Growth restriction is a serious pregnancy complication linked to low birth weight, breathing problems after birth, and long-term health issues including higher rates of heart disease and diabetes in adulthood.

The study showed that PLA nanoplastics were not biologically harmless just because PLA is plant-based. At the nanoscale, PLA particles interact with cells and proteins in ways that look similar to conventional plastic nanoplastics.

For pregnant women, it's worth treating PLA containers the same way you'd treat regular plastic: don't use them for hot food or drinks, and choose glass or stainless steel when possible. "Biodegradable" on the label doesn't mean safe for your body.