Actively Recruiting
Developmental Impacts of Microplastics Exposure in Early Life
Led by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health · Updated on 2025-06-10
40
Participants Needed
1
Research Sites
169 weeks
Total Duration
On this page
Sponsors
J
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Lead Sponsor
E
Emory University
Collaborating Sponsor
AI-Summary
What this Trial Is About
The goal of this observational study is to characterize and evaluate micro- and nano-plastic (MNP) exposures among mothers and infants in mother-infant dyads 1 or 3 months postpartum living in Baltimore, Maryland. The main questions it aims to answer are: * What MNPs are present in breastmilk and maternal blood samples and in their infants stool sample? * Are there associations between amount of maternal MNPs in breast milk and mass of MNP particles in infant stool? * Which environmental and lifestyle factors are most predictive of maternal MNP burden? * Is infant exposure to MNPs associated with birth weight and postnatal growth trajectories? Participants will: * Complete several questionnaires assessing medical histories, lifestyle factors, environmental exposures, eating behaviors, etc. * Provide biological specimens including: maternal blood, stool, and breastmilk; infant stool * Clinical visit to have anthropometric measures documented including maternal height and weight, infant weight, length, and skin-fold thickness
CONDITIONS
Official Title
Developmental Impacts of Microplastics Exposure in Early Life
Who Can Participate
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if you...
- All gender expressions
- Mothers at 1 or 3 months postpartum (± 2 weeks)
- Intent to exclusively breastfeed for 65 6 months
- Nulliparous and singleton births
- Receiving only breast milk from the mother, with no formula supplementation
You will not qualify if you...
- Physical, mental, or cognitive disability that prevents participation; current incarceration
- Chronic conditions in mother and/or infant (e.g., heart disease, cancer, autoimmune disease, diabetes, intestinal bowel syndrome/disease)
- Conditions diagnosed for the first time during pregnancy (e.g., gestational diabetes)
- Neurological conditions in mother and/or infant (e.g., epilepsy, seizures)
- Psychological conditions in mother and/or infant (e.g., bipolar disorder)
- Neurological/psychological conditions diagnosed in mother during or immediately after pregnancy (e.g., postpartum depression)
- Previously diagnosed with any major illness (e.g., intrauterine growth restriction, birth asphyxia, cancer) or eating disorder or previous gastric band surgery
- Maternal antibiotic use during pregnancy or postpartum
- Infant antibiotic use at any time or medications affecting plastic exposure or microbiome
- Use of any breast pump except the Silicon Breast Pump for the 14 days prior to the clinical visit
- PHQ9 score ≥ 10 indicating moderate or worse depression
- Infants who are intersex
- Smoking, drug use (including marijuana), or alcohol abuse
AI-Screening
AI-Powered Screening
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Trial Site Locations
Total: 1 location
1
East Baltimore Pediatric Inpatient and Outpatient Clinical Research Unit
Baltimore, Maryland, United States, 21287
Actively Recruiting
Research Team
T
Tanya L Alderete, PhD
CONTACT
C
Charlotte Haslett
CONTACT
How is the study designed?
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Masking
N/A
Allocation
N/A
Model
N/A
Primary Purpose
N/A
Number of Arms
2
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