Can microplastics during pregnancy affect fetal growth?

What's actually in it

Microplastics cross the placenta. Studies have found plastic particles in placental tissue and in the meconium of newborns. The placenta is the baby's only source of nutrition and protection from the external environment. When it contains microplastics, those particles are in direct contact with fetal blood supply.

Nanoplastics (smaller than microplastics) cross biological barriers even more easily. They can enter fetal tissue directly.

What the research says

A 2026 systematic review in J Dev Orig Health Dis compiled the evidence on prenatal micro/nanoplastic exposure and intrauterine development. The review found consistent associations between prenatal plastic particle exposure and impaired fetal growth parameters. Effects included lower birth weight and disrupted developmental markers across multiple studies.

During pregnancy, every exposure reduction matters. Plastic food containers are one of the main controllable sources of microplastic ingestion. Switching to glass for all food storage and prep is one of the highest-impact changes a pregnant person can make.

For other plastic exposure points, glass baby products for bottles and feeding equipment start building a lower-plastic environment before birth.