Environmental toxicants and placental function

The placenta is a temporary endocrine organ that facilitates gas, nutrient, and waste exchange between maternal and fetal com-partments, partially shielding the fetus from potentially hazardous environmental toxicants. However, rather than being opaque, the placenta is translucent or even transparent to some potential fetal developmental hazards, including toxic trace elements (TEs), perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and envi-ronmental phenols (EPs) to which women with pregnancy are frequently exposed. These agents are both passively and actively transferred to the fetal compartment, where endocrine disruption, oxidative stress, and epigenetic changes may occur. These pa-thologies may directly impact the fetus or deposit and accumulate in the placenta to indirectly impact fetal development. Thus, it is critical for clinicians to understand the potential placental toxicity and transfer of widely distributed environmental agents ubiqui-tous during pregnancy. With such knowledge, targeted in-terventions and clinical recommendations can be developed to limit those risks. (c) 2022 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Automated summary

The placenta functions as a temporary endocrine organ that protects the fetus from environmental toxicants. However, certain hazardous substances can pass through the placenta and potentially impact fetal development. Understanding the potential placental toxicity and transfer is crucial in order to mitigate these risks.