Constant and unmindful use of plastic introduces endocrine disruptors into our daily lives, posing threats to female fertility and overall hormonal health, Dr Rashmi Agarwal, fertility specialist at Nova IVF Fertility, Gurugram, told HT Lifestyle. It is the need of the hour for not only women but others as well to regulate the use of microplastics and improve their quality of life. Also read | India emerges as the largest plastic polluter globally What you need to know about plastic Plastics are commonly used daily in everything from packaging to household items.
However, their frequent use comes with hidden dangers to the reproductive health of women. According to various studies, many plastics release harmful chemicals known as endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), which interfere with the body’s hormonal balance and are known to hurt female fertility. When it comes to women, these disruptions can leave a lasting effect not only on fertility, but also on menstrual health, and cause negative long-term reproductive outcomes.
As the prevalence of plastics grows, understanding their effects on female health becomes of utmost importance. “Long-term exposure to those substances has been linked in researches to problems during pregnant, abnormal menstrual cycles, and reduced egg quality. According to some study, these substances will also be involved in diseases like endometriosis and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), that could both have an effect on fertility,” Dr Rashm.