Maternal Exposures Linked to Infant Microbiome and Development

A large Chinese cohort study of 1,689 mother‑infant pairs in Jiangsu province found that a wide range of maternal exposures—including chemicals, metabolites, and anthropometric factors—were associated with the composition of the newborns' gut microbiota and with early health outcomes such as eczema, growth measures and neurodevelopment. The researchers profiled 776 external and internal variables across pregnancy and identified specific chemicals, like triphenylphosphate and perfluorobutane sulfonic acid, that correlated with shifts in key bacterial phyla.

Separately, scientists at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam demonstrated that several micro‑ and nanoplastics can cross a laboratory human placental model within 72 hours, altering hormone activity. The study reported reduced etiocholanolone levels and changes in estrogen associated with exposure to plastics such as polystyrene. While the work does not prove direct harm in real pregnancies, it underscores the need for further investigation of prenatal exposure pathways and their potential impact on fetal development.