(Paris, France, Wednesday, 2 July 2025) New research presented today at the 41st Annual Meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) reveals the presence of microplastics in human reproductive fluids, raising important questions about their potential risks to fertility and reproductive health.[1]
Researchers examined follicular fluid from 29 women and seminal fluid from 22 men, both of which play critical roles in natural conception and assisted reproduction.
A range of commonly used microplastic polymers, including polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polystyrene (PS), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyamide (PA), polypropylene (PP) and polyurethane (PU), were identified in both groups.
Microplastics were present in 69% of the follicular fluid samples analysed. Notably, the most frequently detected polymer was PTFE, found in 31% of the samples. This was followed by PP (28%), PET (17%), PA (14%), polyethylene (PE) (10%), PU (10%) and PS (7%), in descending order of prevalence.
In male seminal fluid samples, microplastics were found in 55% of those analysed. PTFE again emerged as the most prevalent polymer, identified in 41% of the samples. Other polymers detected included PS (14%), PET (9%), PA (5%), and PU (5%), though in lower concentrations.
To prevent contamination, all samples were collected and stored in glass containers and underwent chemical treatment before analysis using laser direct infrared microscopy.
Lead researcher Dr. Emilio Gomez-Sanchez commented, “Previous studies had already shown that microplastics can be found in various human organs. As a result, we weren´t entirely surprised to find microplastics in fluids of the human reproductive system, but we were struck by how common they were – found in 69% of the women and 55% of the men we studied.”
Microplastics are defined as plastic particles under 5mm in size, and there is evidence that they pose a threat to environmental and public health.[2] While this research did not directly assess how microplastics affect fertility, their detection highlights the need to explore possible implications for human reproductive health.
“What we know from animal studies is that in the tissues where microplastics accumulate, they can induce inflammation, free radical formation, DNA damage, cellular senescence, and endocrine disruptions”, continued Dr. Gomez-Sanchez. “It’s possible they could impair egg or sperm quality in humans, but we don’t yet have enough evidence to confirm that.”
The research team plans to expand their analysis to a larger cohort, alongside detailed lifestyle and environmental exposure questionnaires. Further phases of the project will also explore the potential relationship between the presence of microplastics and oocyte and sperm quality.
Dr. Gomez-Sanchez stressed that fertility is influenced by many factors, including age, health, and genetics, and that the findings should not cause alarm among those trying to conceive. “There’s no need for alarm at this point. Microplastics are just one of many elements that may play a role in fertility. However, it is sensible to consider ways of reducing our exposure to them. Simple steps, such as using glass containers to store and heat food, or limiting the amount of water we consume from plastic bottles, can help minimise our intake.”
Professor Dr. Carlos Calhaz-Jorge, Immediate Past Chair of ESHRE, commented, “Environmental factors influencing reproduction are certainly a reality, although not easy to measure objectively. The authors of this study found microplastics in over two-thirds of follicular fluids and more than 50% of semen fluids from the studied patients. Although the significance of these findings is not yet clear, they should be considered an additional argument in favour of avoiding the generalised use of plastics in our daily lives.”
The study abstract will be published today in Human Reproduction, one of the world’s leading reproductive medicine journals.
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An unpublished conference abstract presented at the ESHRE 41st Annual Meeting in Paris looks at microplastics in human reproductive fluids.
Prof Oliver Jones, Professor of Chemistry, RMIT University, said:
“It is hard to say much at all about this study without knowing the full details of the methods used and the precautions taken against background contamination. All we have to go on is a very brief abstract, not a peer-reviewed paper. Many previous scary-sounding headlines on microplastics in blood and food have turned out to be measurement errors by people unfamiliar with the problems of microplastic measurements1,2 and/or background contamination3. I don’t think lab contamination can be ruled out in this case. The most common plastic found, PTFE, is very widely used in laboratories, including IVF labs, and background contamination makes all forms of microplastic analysis extremely technically challenging.
“Even if we assume no measurement errors, the results are from a total of 51 individuals, so they are far from conclusive (a limitation acknowledged by the authors), and this study does not claim to demonstrate any harm. We would need these findings to be replicated, ideally in other laboratories around the world, before we could tell if this was a one-off event or not. So, while the data are certainly interesting, they are at best preliminary. I don’t think people who may be trying to conceive, either naturally or via IVF, need to be concerned.”
References 1 Kuhlman, R. L., Letter to the editor, discovery and quantification of plastic particle pollution in human blood. Environment International 2022, 167, 107400, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412022003270?via%3Dihub
2 Mühlschlegel, P. et al. Lack of evidence for microplastic contamination in honey. Food Additives & Contaminants: Part A 2017, 34 (11), 1982-1989, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28665769/
3 Rauert C. et al. Blueprint for the design construction and validation of a plastic and phthalate-minimised laboratory. Journal of Hazardous Materials 2024 468 133803, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304389424003820
Dr Channa Jayasena, Associate Professor in Reproductive Endocrinology, Imperial College London, said:
“Microplastics are able to interfere with how cells in different bits of the body speak to each other, and can cause cell damage. Unfortunately, it is no longer a surprise that microplastics find their way into the fluids which are essential for men and women to reproduce. This study was very small, and did not report fertility outcomes in the study participants. But it was well-designed study using state-of-the-art technology to show just how commonly microplastics enter reproductive fluids. They showed that most of the studied samples in men and women contained microplastics. Some previous studies have reported that microplastic exposure is associated with lower-than-normal fertility in men. The results contribute to a growing concern for public health – we don’t know what the impact of all types of microplastics are on reproductive function in men and women. Understanding this will help us understand how big a problem microplastics post for fertility in society.”
Dr Stephanie Wright, Associate Professor in Environmental Toxicology, Imperial College London, said:
“Without information on the sizes of the microplastic particles observed, it is challenging to interpret how meaningful this data is. There is a high potential for samples to become contaminated with microplastic throughout the sampling, laboratory processing, and analysis procedures. If stringent steps to minimise this are taken, other clues such as the size of the particles observed can be used to rule out such contamination, with there being a greater likelihood for smaller particles (<0.001 mm > 0.01 mm) being absorbed and redistributed around the body. It is not a surprise that microplastics have been found – they are everywhere, even in the lab – but the data provided do not support that they are there as a result of human exposure as opposed to methodological artefact and must be interpreted with caution at this early stage.”
Prof Fay Couceiro, Professor of Environmental Pollution, and Head of the Microplastics Research Group, University of Portsmouth, said:
“As this is not peer reviewed and there is no detailed methodology it is difficult to give specific information on quality etc. Here are some general comments:
“The study is very interesting and considering the global reduction in fertility rates, looking at possible causes is very topical and timely. As the authors state, finding microplastics is not that surprising as we have found them in lots of other areas of our bodies. Presence is also not the same as impact and the authors are clear that while they have found microplastics in the reproductive fluids of both men and women, we still don’t know how they are affecting us. As a preliminary study the work is interesting, but more information is required on numbers of microplastics found, sizes, method blanks and any plastics used during the medical procedures before any real conclusions can be made. I look forward to reading the full article once it is ready. (A method blank is when you run the experimental steps, but with clean water, and then analyse that to see if you have any microplastics in it. This would let you know if there is any external contamination, and if the microplastics in the samples are from the reproductive fluid, or introduced from the digestion and analysis steps. It would be very unusual not to see any microplastics in the blanks if they are looking below 10 micrometres in size range. At that size, microplastics are in the air and very hard to get away from. If they only analysed larger particles then you tend to find less in your method blanks, but it is common practice to give these in a full paper so that people can see if the number you are finding in your samples is higher than in the blanks.)
Does the press release accurately reflect the science?
“To the extent of which data is available it does, it is clear this is only looking at the presence of microplastics and not impacts.
Is this good quality research? Are the conclusions backed up by solid data?
“Very hard to judge without more in depth information on methods, numbers found in blanks, size ranges of microplastics etc.
Is there enough data available to be able to judge the quality of this work?
“At this stage I would say no – as above the methods really need to be more detailed. Microplastics are everywhere and even with the best methods you find some in the blanks at the smaller sizes (less than 10 um). They say they looked in the containers but the method blank data is missing as are the actual numbers found, e.g. is it 10 microplastics per ml of SF? Is 10 significantly greater than what was found in the method blank? Size range is also very important and not mentioned anywhere I can see.
Is this a peer-reviewed journal publication or more preliminary?
“Preliminary.
How does this work fit with the existing evidence?
“It is expected as microplastics have been found in all bodily fluids/organs tested.
Have the authors accounted for confounders? Are there important limitations to be aware of?
“It is unclear if there is any plastic used in the collection of the samples as I am unfamiliar with the procedures – the storage vessel is glass but is plastic used in the follicular aspiration? Many medical instruments are made from plastic, is that the case here?
What are the implications in the real world? Is there any overspeculation?
“No – they are clear this is just a presence/absence experiment and that further work needs to take place to determine any impacts.”
Abstract title: ‘Unveiling the Hidden Danger: Detection and characterisation of microplastics in human follicular and seminal fluids’ by E. Gomez-Sanchez et al.It will be presented at the ESHRE 41st Annual Meeting in Paris, and the embargo lifted at 23:01 UK time on Tuesday 1 July 2025.
There is no paper.
Declared interests
Prof Oliver Jones: “I am a Professor of Chemistry at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia. I conduct research into environmental pollution, including microplastics. I have no conflicts of interest to declare.”
Dr Channa Jayasena: “None.”
Dr Stephanie Wright: “Own research: MRC, NERC, NIHR, Common Seas, Minderoo Foundation, LECO;
To attend scientific meetings: American Chemistry Council – to attend a workshop on microplastic reference materials (2022); Minderoo Foundation – to attend workshops on microplastic measurement in human tissue (2024, 2025);
Current or previous advisory roles or committee membership: ILSI Europe, PlasticsEurope (BRIGID project), Cefic LRI projects advisory roles, have been a temporary member of UK Air Quality Expert Group;
Previous employment in companies: none.”
Prof Fay Couceiro: “I work in the field of microplastics but I was not involved in the study and I am not working with the authors. I am unaware of any conflict of interest.”
Japan’s lack of generic PrEP options has made therapies inaccessible to most patients.
Access to newer HIV therapies remains a major challenge in the global HIV treatment landscape, largely due to high costs and limited insurance coverage, according to GlobalData.
Whilst long-acting antiretroviral and prevention therapies such as ViiV Healthcare’s Apretude (cabotegravir) and Gilead Sciences’ Yeztugo (lenacapavir) offer improved adherence and reduced dosing frequency, their uptake remains constrained, said GlobalData’s latest report, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV): Seven-Market (7M) Drug Forecast and Market Analysis to 2033.
In the US, coverage restrictions have slowed access to these products, despite their clinical advantages.
Similarly, in Japan, a lack of affordable generic PrEP options has made such therapies inaccessible to most patients.
GlobalData notes that insurance barriers are forcing patients to continue using older, less convenient therapies, even in high-income markets.
GlobalData warns that without broader insurance support and cost-reduction strategies, the benefits of newer therapies may not reach the populations most in need, threatening progress in HIV control and increasing the risk of drug resistance due to improper use.
Metformin use was associated with a significant improvement in progression-free survival (PFS) during first-line treatment with 5-fluorouracil-based chemotherapy in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), according to one study.1 Although no overall survival (OS) benefit was observed, the findings suggest a potential role for metformin as an adjunct to systemic therapy in mCRC.
Metformin use may enhance progression-free survival in patients receiving first-line systemic therapy for metastatic colorectal cancer. | Image credit: luchschenF – stock.adobe.com
The single-center retrospective cohort study is published in In Vivo.
“In our study, we aimed to investigate the effect of metformin use on survival and prognosis in patients with mCRC with the hypothesis that liver kinase B1-related AMPK [AMP-activated protein kinase] activation and mTOR [mammalian Target of Rapamycin] inhibition can increase the response to first-line systemic treatment.”
A growing body of evidence suggests that metformin may reduce the risk of developing various cancers, including CRC.2 Proposed mechanisms include inhibition of tumor cell proliferation, activation of AMP-activated protein kinase, and reduction of insulin and glucose levels, all of which may contribute to a less favorable environment for tumor growth. These findings support the investigation of metformin as a potential chemopreventive and therapeutic agent in CRC.
The cohort study evaluated adult patients aged 18 years and older with mCRC who had received first-line systemic therapy at a single academic oncology clinic between January 2010 and December 2022.1 Eligible patients were treated with 5-fluorouracil-based chemotherapy combined with either anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) therapy for RAS wild-type tumors or anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy for both RAS-mutant and wild-type tumors.
Patients were excluded if they lacked a pathological diagnosis of mCRC, had other malignancies, experienced recurrence within 6 months of adjuvant therapy, or had missing data on comorbidities, drug use, or metastatic sites. Collected variables included age, primary tumor sidedness, comorbidities, metastatic sites, treatment regimens, time to progression, and OS.
Among the 134 patients included in the study, the median age was 59.5 years, 89 were male, and 23.9% had a diagnosis of diabetes. Use of metformin was associated with a statistically significant improvement in PFS, with a median PFS of 14.0 months compared with 9.9 months in nonusers (P = .04). However, no significant difference was observed in OS, with median OS of 20.7 months in metformin users compared with 19.5 months in nonusers (P = .76).
Furthermore, the analysis identified metformin usage (HR, 0.62; P = .04) and anti-EGFR therapy (HR, 0.54; P < .01) as factors significantly associated with improved PFS.
However, the researchers noted several study limitations. First, its retrospective design limited the ability to establish causal relationships. Additionally, all patients who used metformin also had diabetes, a condition that may independently influence survival outcomes and treatment response. The relatively small sample size further limited the statistical power and generalizability of the findings. Moreover, the study population was restricted to patients receiving biological agents in combination with 5-fluorouracil, excluding those on other treatment regimens.
Despite these limitations, the researchers believe the study suggests that metformin may help to increase survival in patients with mCRC.
“Although diabetes leads to a poorer prognosis for colorectal cancer, metformin also positively affected the prognosis in these patients,” wrote the researchers. “Further studies are needed to identify the potential role of metformin use in mCRC treatment and confirm our results.”
References
1. Erdat EC, Yalciner M, Geris Y, et al. The effect of metformin usage in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer receiving first-line systemic therapy. In Vivo. 2025;39(4):2349-2356. doi:10.21873/invivo.14032
2. Higurashi T, Nakajima A. Metformin and colorectal cancer. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2018;9:622. doi:10.3389/fendo.2018.00622
Dietary acid load (DAL) significantly decreased on a low-fat vegan diet and was linked with weight loss compared with a Mediterranean diet among participants in a randomized cross-over trial (NCT03698955) conducted by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. The findings, published in Frontiers in Nutrition, showed the alkalizing effect of a vegan diet in promoting weight loss.1-3
Clean eating, vegan healthy salad bowl closeup , woman holding salad bowl, plant based healthy diet with greens, chickpeas and vegetables – Image credit: marrakeshh | stock.adobe.com
Effects of Dietary Acid Load
DAL refers to the body’s overall acid-base balance influenced by diet, and a high DAL has been previously linked with chronic low-grade metabolic acidosis, inflammation, and obesity. Foods like meat, fish, eggs, cheese, and some grains produce acid in the body, whereas most fruits and vegetables have an alkalizing effect. Alkaline diets, including vegan diets, are linked to health benefits such as weight loss, insulin sensitivity, and lower blood pressure.1
Researchers use the Potential Renal Acid Load (PRAL) to estimate the effect of food on the pH balance, based on 5 nutrient values, including protein, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, and calcium, along with the Net Endogenous Acid Production (NEAP) to further adjust for an individual’s height and weight to estimate DAL. To further assess how dietary patterns affect DAL, the researchers compared Mediterranean and low-fat vegan diets and whether the impact is connected to changes in body weight.1,2
Mediterranean Diet vs Vegan Diet
A total of 62 individuals who were overweight were included in the trial and were randomly assigned to follow a Mediterranean or a low-fat vegan diet for 16 weeks, separated by a 4-week washout, before switching to the opposite diet. In the Mediterranean diet, individuals followed the PREDIMED protocol, which involves fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts or seeds, fish or shellfish, and white meat over red meat, with the use of 50 g of extra virgin olive oil daily. For the low-fat vegan group, individuals consumed vegetables, grains, fruits, and legumes. Outcomes were measured at weeks 0, 16, 20, and 36 as individuals were instructed to complete a 3-day food diary.1
The results demonstrated that PRAL and NEAP significantly decreased on the vegan diet (95% CI −35.4 to −18.7) compared with no change on the Mediterranean diet (95% CI −34.1 to −17.5). Additionally, body weight was reduced by 6.0 kg, or 13.2 pounds, on the vegan diet, compared with no change on the Mediterranean diet.1
The findings suggest that over the initial 16 weeks of the study, a reduction in DAL measured by PRAl and NEAP was directly linked to reductions in body weight. This association weakened slightly when accounting for changes in calorie intake. In the subsequent 16 weeks, the positive association between a reduced DAL and weight loss became even stronger and remained significant even after adjusting for calorie intake.1
“Eating acid-producing foods like meat, eggs, and dairy can increase the dietary acid load, or the amount of acids consumed, causing inflammation linked to weight gain,” Hana Kahleova, MD, PhD, director of clinical research at the Physicians Committee and lead author of the study, said in a news release. “But replacing animal products with plant-based foods like leafy greens, berries, and legumes can help promote weight loss and create a healthy gut microbiome.”2
REFERENCES
1. Kahleova, H., Maracine, C., Himmelfarb, J., Jayaraman, A., Znayenko-Miller, T., Holubkov, R., & Barnard, N. D. (2025). Dietary acid load on the Mediterranean and a vegan diet: a secondary analysis of a randomized, cross-over trial. Frontiers in Nutrition, 12, Article 1634215. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2025.1634215
2. Vegan diet improves dietary acid load, a key risk factor for diabetes, new study finds. EuerkAlert!. News release. June 26, 2025. Accessed July 1, 2025. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1088985
3. Low-Fat Vegan Diet Versus a Mediterranean Diet on Body Weight. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03698955. Updated September 27, 2024. Accessed July 1, 2025. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03698955
LOS ANGELES, July 1 (Xinhua) — A new study led by scientists at the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) has found that two common forms of hormone therapy may alter breast cancer risk in women under the age of 55.
According to the study, women who received unopposed estrogen hormone therapy (E-HT) had a lower risk of developing breast cancer compared to those who did not use hormone therapy. In contrast, women treated with combined estrogen plus progestin hormone therapy (EP-HT) were found to have a higher risk of developing the disease.
The findings, published Monday in The Lancet Oncology, are based on an extensive analysis of data from over 459,000 women under the age of 55 across North America, Europe, Asia and Australia.
“Our study provides greater understanding of the risks associated with different types of hormone therapy, which we hope will help patients and their doctors develop more informed treatment plans,” said lead author Katie O’Brien, a researcher at NIH’s National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS).
The study found that E-HT use was associated with a 14 percent reduction in breast cancer incidence compared to non-users. The protective effect was more pronounced among women who began E-HT at a younger age or used it for a longer duration.
Conversely, women using EP-HT experienced a 10 percent higher risk of breast cancer, which increased to 18 percent among those who used the therapy for more than two years.
The cumulative risk of breast cancer before age 55 was estimated at 3.6 percent for E-HT users, 4.5 percent for EP-HT users, and 4.1 percent for women who never used hormone therapy, according to the study.
The researchers also noted that the elevated risk associated with EP-HT was particularly significant among women who had not undergone hysterectomy or oophorectomy, emphasizing the importance of considering surgical history when evaluating hormone therapy options.
“These findings underscore the need for personalized medical advice when considering hormone therapy,” said NIEHS scientist and senior author Dale Sandler. ■
Stent placement does not appear to reduce the risk of recurrent strokes compared with medical therapy in patients with narrowing of arteries in the brain, according to a study published July 1 in Radiology.
The finding is from a prospective trial in China in patients with intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis (ICAS) and supports similar findings from earlier trials, noted lead author Bonaventure Ip, MD, of The Prince of Wales Hospital in Hong Kong, and colleagues.
“The results of our study support the current recommendations of medical therapy over stenting for secondary stroke prevention in patients with symptomatic ICAS,” the group wrote.
ICAS is caused by the build-up of plaque in the arteries due to atherosclerosis and is a major cause of ischemic stroke with a risk of recurrence. Endovascular revascularization therapy (stenting) has been hypothesized as a treatment, yet previous trials have shown little benefit of the procedure over medical therapy, the authors noted.
However, previous trials included patients with concurrent branch atheromatous disease adjacent to the stent target, with these patients being at higher risk of complications during the procedure, they added. In this study, to further evaluate the use of stenting in ICAS, the researchers first excluded patients with branch atheromatous disease using three-dimensional rotational angiography.
The study included 150 participants (mean age, 61 years old, 45 women) with transient ischemic attack or ischemic stroke attributed to severe ICAS who were randomized into stenting (n = 74) and medical therapy (n = 76) groups. The primary end point was a composite of transient ischemic stroke, ischemic stroke, intracranial hemorrhage, and death within 30 days or any ischemic stroke from 30 days to one year.
According to the results, stenting did not result in a reduction in ischemic stroke cumulative incidence compared with medical therapy with antiplatelet drugs at one year (stenting versus medical therapy: 12 of 74 [16%] vs. 18 of 76 [24%], p = 0.26). Stenting also did not reduce the cumulative incidence of ischemic stroke compared with medical therapy over a 10-year follow-up period, the researchers reported.
“Intracranial stenting did not result in a reduction in the cumulative incidence of stroke or death at 30 days or stroke from 30 days to one year,” the group wrote.
To date, despite considerable efforts to introduce endovascular revascularization therapy for severe ICAS, no randomized control trial has shown its benefits over intensive medical therapy, the authors noted. Ultimately, further studies with larger sample sizes are needed to substantiate the findings, the researchers concluded.
In an accompanying editorial, Joan Wojak, MD, of Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans, noted that primary stent placement has become a focus due to its historical success compared with angioplasty alone in patients with coronary artery disease. The long struggle to develop effective endovascular therapy (thrombectomy, for instance) in patients with coronary artery disease ultimately resulted in disruptive evolution and the widespread acceptance of the therapy, she wrote.
“Establishing a role for endovascular therapy in the treatment of symptomatic intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis has proved to be even more elusive,” Wojak concluded.
1970 to 2022 Saw Decrease in Overall Heart Disease Mortality | Health | nbcrightnow.com
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