Environmental toxicants and placental function.

Abstract

The placenta is a temporary endocrine organ that facilitates gas, nutrient, and waste exchange between maternal and fetal compartments, 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 environmental 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 pathologies 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 ubiquitous during pregnancy. With such knowledge, targeted interventions and clinical recommendations can be developed to limit those risks.