Developmental Impacts of Microplastics Exposure in Early Life

Description

The goal of this observational study is to characterize and evaluate micro- and nano-plastic (MNP) exposures among mothers and infants in mother-infant dyads 1 or 3 months postpartum living in Baltimore, Maryland. The main questions it aims to answer are: * What MNPs are present in breastmilk and maternal blood samples and in their infants stool sample? * Are there associations between amount of maternal MNPs in breast milk and mass of MNP particles in infant stool? * Which environmental and lifestyle factors are most predictive of maternal MNP burden? * Is infant exposure to MNPs associated with birth weight and postnatal growth trajectories? Participants will: * Complete several questionnaires assessing medical histories, lifestyle factors, environmental exposures, eating behaviors, etc. * Provide biological specimens including: maternal blood, stool, and breastmilk; infant stool * Clinical visit to have anthropometric measures documented including maternal height and weight, infant weight, length, and skin-fold thickness

Conditions

Infant Development, Breast Feeding, Environmental Exposure

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Study Overview

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Study Details

Study overview

The goal of this observational study is to characterize and evaluate micro- and nano-plastic (MNP) exposures among mothers and infants in mother-infant dyads 1 or 3 months postpartum living in Baltimore, Maryland. The main questions it aims to answer are: * What MNPs are present in breastmilk and maternal blood samples and in their infants stool sample? * Are there associations between amount of maternal MNPs in breast milk and mass of MNP particles in infant stool? * Which environmental and lifestyle factors are most predictive of maternal MNP burden? * Is infant exposure to MNPs associated with birth weight and postnatal growth trajectories? Participants will: * Complete several questionnaires assessing medical histories, lifestyle factors, environmental exposures, eating behaviors, etc. * Provide biological specimens including: maternal blood, stool, and breastmilk; infant stool * Clinical visit to have anthropometric measures documented including maternal height and weight, infant weight, length, and skin-fold thickness

Developmental Impacts of MicroPLastics Exposure in Early Life

Developmental Impacts of Microplastics Exposure in Early Life

Condition
Infant Development
Intervention / Treatment

-

Contacts and Locations

Baltimore

East Baltimore Pediatric Inpatient and Outpatient Clinical Research Unit, Baltimore, Maryland, United States, 21287

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

For general information about clinical research, read Learn About Studies.

Eligibility Criteria

  • * All gender expressions
  • * Mothers at 1 or 3 months postpartum (± 2 weeks)
  • * Intent to exclusively breastfeed for ≥ 6 months
  • * Nulliparous and singleton births
  • * Receiving only breast milk from the mother, with no formula supplementation
  • * Physical, mental, or cognitive disability that prevents participation; current incarceration
  • * Chronic conditions in mother and/or infant (e.g., heart disease, cancer, autoimmune disease, diabetes, intestinal bowel syndrome/disease), conditions diagnosed for the first time during pregnancy (e.g. gestational diabetes), neurological conditions in mother and/or infant (e.g. epilepsy, seizures), psychological conditions in mother and/or infant (e.g. bipolar disorder), or neurological/psychological conditions diagnosed in mother during or immediately after pregnancy (e.g. postpartum depression)
  • * Previously diagnosed with any major illness (e.g., intrauterine growth restriction, birth asphyxia, cancer) or eating disorder or previous gastric band surgery
  • * Maternal antibiotic use during pregnancy or the postpartum period. Infant antibiotic use at any time during life or taking medications that could affect plastic exposure or the microbiome, such as medications administered via a plastic syringe.
  • * Use of any breast pump except the Silicon Breast Pump for the 14 days prior to the clinical visit.
  • * PHQ9 score greater than or equal to 10 indicating clinically relevant symptoms of moderate or worse depression
  • * Infants who are intersex
  • * Smoking, drug use (including marijuana use), or alcohol abuse

Ages Eligible for Study

18 Years to

Sexes Eligible for Study

FEMALE

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Collaborators and Investigators

University of Colorado, Boulder,

Tanya L Alderete, PhD, PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Study Record Dates

2026-01-01