I’ve written several times about the proliferation of endocrine disrupting chemicals in our environment: see my posts on water filters, birth control, and baby formula for more on that. Well, to add to the ever-growing list of things that are making the frogs gay, in addition to fluoride and soy, you might want to start thinking about microplastics.

Microplastics are tiny pieces of plastic less than 5 millimeters in size found in our oceans, soil, food, water, and even our brain material.

If a chemical can get through the blood-brain barrier, you can confidently assume it’s getting to your reproductive organs. Sure enough, several recent studies on aquatic life discovered that ingesting microplastics does indeed affect reproduction, represented by the production of fewer offspring or clutch, lower number of spawned eggs per clutches, increased interval between clutches, or the presence of a lower number of gravid females.

One study conducted in Italy in 2021 analyzed placental tissues from 31 women and found microplastics in all of them. The researchers suggested that microplastics may impair the function of the placenta, which can potentially lead to adverse effects on fetal development.

“It is like having a cyborg baby: no longer composed only of human cells, but a mixture of biological and inorganic entities,” said Antonio Ragusa, director of obstetrics and gynaecology at the San Giovanni Calibita Fatebenefratelli hospital in Rome, and who led the study. “The mothers were shocked.”

In the study, published in the journal Environment International, the researchers concluded: “Due to the crucial role of placenta in supporting the foetus’s development and in acting as an interface with the external environment, the presence of potentially harmful plastic particles is a matter of great concern. Further studies need to be performed to assess if the presence of microplastics may trigger immune responses or may lead to the release of toxic contaminants, resulting in harm.”

When I’m pregnant, I’m supremely focused on staying hydrated. But in order to reduce costs, many companies have turned to use cheap plastic materials that leech microplastics into their bottles, which of course isn’t good for me or baby, and exacerbates the impact microplastics have on the general population. Gold River Tea Co. rejects these kinds of shortcuts. Gold River’s corn fiber tea sachets have no harmful microplastics or glues in them. Their products, which include cocoa and cacao as alternatives to tea, are all-natural, blended, and packed in the United States.

Over the next 3 months, Gold River will be introducing a product suite that offers a clean alternative to the hazardous commercial food & beverage products that dominate the current market. Save 10% at checkout when you enter the code NOMICRO–and enjoy microplastic-free tea the whole family can enjoy.