Volume: 5, 2026
5th International PhD Students’ Conference at the University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Poland:
ENVIRONMENT – PLANT – ANIMAL – PRODUCT
Abstract number: H020
DOI: https://doi.org/10.24326/ICDSUPL5.H020
Published online: 22 April 2026
Microplastics in human female reproductive samples: evidence and implications for endometriosis
Katarzyna Warchoł*1, Anna Stępniewska2, Marcello Ceccaroni2, Agnieszka Kuźniar1, Piotr Olcha3 and Łukasz Nowakowski3
1 Laboratory of Genomics and Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, 1H Konstantynów St., 20-708 Lublin, Poland
2 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Gynecology Oncology and Minimally-Invasive Pelvic Surgery, International School of Surgical Anatomy (ISSA), IRCCS Ospedale Sacro Cuore – Don Calabria, Via Don A. Sempreboni 5, 37024 Negrar, Verona, Italy
3 Department of Gynaecology and Gynaecological Endocrinology, Medical University of Lublin, 23 Racławickie Ave., 20-049 Lublin, Poland
* Corresponding author: katarzyna.warchol@kul.pl
In recent years, microplastics have emerged as a novel class of environmental contaminants with potential relevance to women’s reproductive health. Human evidence in this field remains limited, but recent studies have demonstrated the presence of microplastics in selected biologically relevant female reproductive samples, including urine, endometrium, pathological gynaecological tissues and human ovarian follicular fluid. The aim of this review was to summarise the currently available human evidence on microplastics in female reproductive samples, with a particular focus on findings relevant to endometriosis pathophysiology.
A structured literature search was conducted in Google Scholar, PubMed, and Scopus according to PRISMA principles. Of 761 identified records, 752 were screened, 22 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility, and 12 original human studies were included in the final analysis. Available human studies remain scarce. Biomonitoring evidence has demonstrated the presence of microplastics in urine samples collected from women with endometriosis, supporting the concept of internal exposure, although no clear disease-specific difference in urinary burden has yet been established. Direct tissue-related evidence in women includes the detection of microplastics in human endometrium and in selected pathological gynaecological tissues, including adenomyosis, ovarian ectopic cysts and uterine fibroids. In these studies, polyethylene and polypropylene were among the frequently detected polymer types, and some reports suggested differences between pathological and non-pathological tissues, although the available evidence remains limited. Microplastics have also been reported in human ovarian follicular fluid, a biologically relevant microenvironment for oocyte maturation and fertility. The direct evidence from endometriotic lesions themselves remains lacking, currently available human detection studies may be considered biologically relevant to pathways implicated in endometriosis, including inflammation, oxidative stress, endocrine signaling and immune dysregulation.
Microplastics and associated chemicals are an emerging concern in reproductive health, and future studies should prioritise tissue-based investigation and advanced analytical approaches to clarify their relevance in endometriosis.
Research funded by the Vice Rector for the Collegium Medicum at the Catholic University of Lublin from a research grant.
Keywords: endocrine disruptors; endometriosis; microplastics; reproductive toxicology
How to cite
Warchoł K., Stępniewska A., Ceccaroni M., Kuźniar A., Olcha P., Nowakowski Ł., 2026. Microplastics in human female reproductive samples: evidence and implications for endometriosis. In: 5th International PhD Students’ Conference at the University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Poland: Environment – Plant – Animal – Product. https://doi.org/10.24326/ICDSUPL5.H020