Welcome to the ePoster Viewing Panel of AICOG 2025

Purpose: This study aimed to elucidate the potential crosslink between microplastic exposure and the development of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) and Hypothyroidism in primiparous pregnant women. Materials: A prospective cohort study was conducted involving 639 primiparous pregnant women. Data on demographic factors and microplastic exposure assessed through a validated Microplastic Exposure Questionnaire were collected, focusing on exposure via cosmetics, toiletries, and food. Participants were categorized into low, moderate, and high-exposure groups based on established cut-off values. The incidence of GDM and hypothyroidism was determined and statistical analyses, including chi-square test, Kendall's tau b correlation, and binary logistic regression were performed to evaluate associations between microplastic exposure levels and maternal health outcomes. Result: Among the 639 participants, 153 were diagnosed with GDM, while 476 were non-GDM. Exposure distribution revealed 177 women with low-exposure (56 GDM, 116 non-GDM), 296 with moderate-exposure (67 GDM, 224 Non- GDM) and 166 with high-exposure (27 GDM, 135 non-GDM). A Chi-square analysis indicated a significant association between microplastic exposure and GDM (p <0.001). Conversely, hypothyroidism was diagnosed in 25 GDM cases and 62 non-GDM cases, with no significant association found between microplastic exposure and hypothyroidism. Conclusion: The findings suggest that microplastic exposure may represent a novel risk factor for GDM among pregnant women, highlighting the need for further research in the underlying biological mechanisms and public health implications of microplastic exposure during pregnancy, also a growing body of evidence linking environmental exposures to maternal outcomes and underscoring the necessity for public health initiatives for reducing microplastic exposure.