A study by Italian researchers published last July in the journal
Polymers
showed the presence of microplastics in human breast milk, reports
The Guardian
.
This discovery is all the more worrying as little is known about the potentially toxic effects of these microparticles on infants.
An “inevitable” exhibition
To arrive at this result, these scientists analyzed the breast milk of 34 healthy women.
The milk was collected one week after the birth of their child.
In 26 of the 34 breast milk samples studied, polyethylene, PVC and polypropylene were found.
These are components found in packaging.
At present, the toxic effects of these microplastics have been proven on laboratory animals, on marine fauna and on human cell lines.
Studies have also shown that infants are particularly sensitive to chemical particles.
This new study would thus show that human exposure to these molecules would be "inevitable", especially since the team had already identified, in 2020, the presence of these microplastics in the human placenta.
Continue to feed your baby breast milk
“It will be crucial to assess the means of reducing exposure to these contaminants during pregnancy and breastfeeding,” said Dr. Valentina Notarstefano of the Polytechnic University of Marche in Ancôme, lead author of the study.
The team also called on the scientific community to conduct research on the risks of microplastics for humans.
However, the researchers advised mothers to continue feeding their babies breast milk, as the bottles also contain microplastics.
"The advantages of breastfeeding are much greater than the disadvantages caused by the presence of polluting microplastics", highlighted Dr. Valentina Notarstefano.
The latter invited pregnant women to avoid products packaged with plastic as much as possible.
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