How do Microplastics affect Fertility? Understanding their link to growing Infertility
How microplastics are linked to infertility: Uncovering the impact on reproductive health Microplastics are tiny plastic particles less than 5mm in size, generated from breakdown of larger plastic items such as plastic packaging 1 4 . With global plastic production projected to be 1.2 billion tons by 2050 the amount of plastic entering our environment is a big problem. These plastics break down into microplastics which are everywhere in our environment, including the food and water we consume. Research suggests we ingest between 39,000 to 52,000 microplastics a year from various sources such as food packaging, water bottles and polybags. This widespread contamination is a big concern for health particularly on fertility, reproductive health and health of infants and pregnant women. Microplastics come from various sources like plastic breakdown, synthetic fibers from clothing, and the degradation of packaging [Fig1] . They enter the human body through ingestion, primarily from conta...