Hey there! Have you ever thought about what happens to all the plastic we use every day? 🥤 Well, a lot of it ends up breaking down into tiny pieces called microplastics. These pieces are so small that you can’t see them without a microscope! 🔬
Scientists in Italy have discovered something surprising and a bit worrying. They found microplastics inside the bodies of women who were trying to have babies. 😮 Out of 18 women at a fertility clinic, 14 had microplastics in a special fluid called ovarian follicular fluid. This fluid is super important because it helps eggs mature and get ready to be fertilized to make a baby. 🥚🤰
Dr. Luigi Montano, the lead scientist of the study, said these results are “very alarming.” He thinks that these tiny plastics could be harming women’s ability to have babies. 😟
But that’s not all! Microplastics often carry harmful chemicals like PFAS, bisphenol, and phthalates. These big words stand for chemicals that can mess with our bodies by causing cancer or disrupting hormones. 🧪⚠️ Hormones are like the body’s messengers that tell different parts what to do, so disrupting them can cause big problems.
The scientists are also wondering if microplastics might be affecting boys and men by lowering sperm counts. 🧬 This means it could be harder for them to become dads in the future.
Globally, about 17.5% of couples have trouble having babies. That’s almost 1 in every 6 couples! 😲 So, this isn’t just happening in one place; it’s a worldwide issue.
What can we do? Well, we can all help by using less plastic. Try using reusable water bottles, say no to plastic straws, and recycle when you can. 🌳♻️ Every little bit helps the environment and maybe even our health!
Scientists are continuing to study microplastics to understand how they affect us. Who knows, maybe one day you’ll become a scientist and help solve these important problems! 🧑🔬👩🔬
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
