About this Research Topic
World Health Assembly in May 2023 talked about the impact of chemicals, waste, and pollution on human health. Plastic pollution has become a pervasive problem, with significant impacts on both human health and the environment throughout the production, manufacturing, use, recycling, and disposal processes. Chemical additives and contaminants found in plastics pose serious threats to human health globally. Exposure to plastic additives and contaminants can lead to several health risks, including cancer, metabolism and endocrine disruption, which can harm reproductive, developmental, and cognitive functions. Many toxic chemical additives in plastic products persist in the environment, accumulating in exposed organisms and entering human bodies through the food chain. Adverse effects of plastic are particularly acute in children in the womb and young ones, with increased risks of prematurity, stillbirth, birth defects of the reproductive organs, neurodevelopmental impairment, impaired lung growth, and childhood cancer.
Toxic chemicals and microplastics pose a significant threat to human health as they can enter the body through inhalation, ingestion, or direct skin contact. People are exposed to a diverse range of these harmful substances on a regular basis. Research has shown that adults may ingest approximately 5 grams of plastic per week. Though the harmful effects of plastics on human health have been recognized, the research related to the effects of maternal plastic exposure on offspring health is still limited. Pregnant women are exposed to significant amounts of plastic substances, many of which are known to have adverse effects on infant health. Plastic substances, including Bisphenol A and other plasticizers, are commonly found in everyday products. These substances are known to cause adverse effects on infant health and have the potential to disrupt the endocrine system, particularly during the critical developmental stage of the fetus and infancy. Therefore, the causal relationships between plastic exposure and offspring health need to be further studied.
Understanding neurodevelopmental, neurocognitive as well as mental health impacts of nano-plastics, microplastics, and environmental plastic exposure to maternal and infant health. COVID-19 pandemic increased reliance on single-use plastic equipment and normalized the excessive use of plastic products in our surroundings particularly in our healthcare services.
The purpose of this research project is to identify the latest research on the impact of maternal exposure to plastics on offspring health. By identifying the latest research findings, this research topic may help guide future health policy on mitigating the harmful effects of plastic exposure and improve maternal and perinatal outcomes.
This Research Topic encourages potential authors to identify new plastic-related exposure for fetuses and neonates, mechanisms for which maternal plastic exposure affects offspring health, and promising and potential interventional strategies to minimize the damage caused by prenatal/perinatal plastic exposure.
We welcome original research, meta-analysis, and review articles including (but not limited) to the following subtopics:
• The impact of various types of plastic exposure during prenatal and neonatal periods on the health of fetuses and neonates.
• Emerging mechanisms that explain how maternal plastic exposure can affect the health of offspring.
• Promising interventions that may help mitigate the damage caused by prenatal/perinatal plastic exposure and improve the health of the offspring.
Toxic chemicals and microplastics pose a significant threat to human health as they can enter the body through inhalation, ingestion, or direct skin contact. People are exposed to a diverse range of these harmful substances on a regular basis. Research has shown that adults may ingest approximately 5 grams of plastic per week. Though the harmful effects of plastics on human health have been recognized, the research related to the effects of maternal plastic exposure on offspring health is still limited. Pregnant women are exposed to significant amounts of plastic substances, many of which are known to have adverse effects on infant health. Plastic substances, including Bisphenol A and other plasticizers, are commonly found in everyday products. These substances are known to cause adverse effects on infant health and have the potential to disrupt the endocrine system, particularly during the critical developmental stage of the fetus and infancy. Therefore, the causal relationships between plastic exposure and offspring health need to be further studied.
Understanding neurodevelopmental, neurocognitive as well as mental health impacts of nano-plastics, microplastics, and environmental plastic exposure to maternal and infant health. COVID-19 pandemic increased reliance on single-use plastic equipment and normalized the excessive use of plastic products in our surroundings particularly in our healthcare services.
The purpose of this research project is to identify the latest research on the impact of maternal exposure to plastics on offspring health. By identifying the latest research findings, this research topic may help guide future health policy on mitigating the harmful effects of plastic exposure and improve maternal and perinatal outcomes.
This Research Topic encourages potential authors to identify new plastic-related exposure for fetuses and neonates, mechanisms for which maternal plastic exposure affects offspring health, and promising and potential interventional strategies to minimize the damage caused by prenatal/perinatal plastic exposure.
We welcome original research, meta-analysis, and review articles including (but not limited) to the following subtopics:
• The impact of various types of plastic exposure during prenatal and neonatal periods on the health of fetuses and neonates.
• Emerging mechanisms that explain how maternal plastic exposure can affect the health of offspring.
• Promising interventions that may help mitigate the damage caused by prenatal/perinatal plastic exposure and improve the health of the offspring.
Keywords: perinatal exposure, DOHaD, plastic pollution, chemical additives, offspring health, quality of life, mental health and neurodevelopmental outcomes, maternal health
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
