Science & technology | Hidden in plain sightA routine test for fetal abnormalities could improve a mother’s healthStudies show these can help detect pre-eclampsia and predict preterm births Illustration: Anna Kövecses Jun 11th 2025WHEN NON-INVASIVE prenatal testingarrived in 2011, it transformed pregnancy. With a simple blood test, scientists could now sweep a mother’s bloodstream for scraps of placental DNA, uncovering fetal genetic defects and shedding light on the health of the unborn baby. But the potential to monitor the mother’s health went largely unappreciated.Explore moreThis article appeared in the Science & technology section of the print edition under the headline “Testing time”From the June 14th 2025 editionDiscover stories from this section and more in the list of contents⇒Explore the editionReuse this content #routine #test #fetal #abnormalities #could

The epidermisis the body’s largest organ, so it would make sense that toxins found in fabrics that sit on the skin’s surface could be absorbed by the skin and make their way into the bloodstream. And polyester has been considered a particularly suspect fabric because it’s made from a chemical called polyethylene terephthalate, a plastic polymer used in various products.One study published in 1993 followed 24 dogs who were divided into two equal groups, one group wore cotton underpants and the other polyester. At the end of the study period, there was a significant decrease in sperm count and an increase in sperm abnormalities in the dogs who wore the polyester pants. But that said, this study is three decades old, done on dogs, and has had little additional research to show for it since.So, the jury is certainly still out as to whether fabrics decrease fertility, but there are some things that we do know. Chemicals Found in PolyesterAccording to Audrey Gaskins, an associate professor of environmental health at Emory University, most studies are focused on specific chemicals that might be found in fabrics rather than the fabrics themselves, and those chemicals are usually measured in blood or urine. But fabrics like polyester can contain a number of chemicals that might impact fertility. PFAS, short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of chemicals found in thousands of products, and they’re difficult for the body to eliminate.“PFAS are commonly found in water-resistant clothing,” says Gaskins. However, drinking water is likely the most common avenue of exposure, as well as non-stick cookware, and many others.Research has shown that PFAS can reduce fertility in women by some 40 percent. According to NIH’s National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences, high levels of PFAS found in the blood were linked to a reduced chance of pregnancy and live birth. Other research has shown that PFAS are linked to increased instances of endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome, both of which reduce fertility.Poor Pregnancy OutcomesPolyestermay also contain bisphenol A, another chemical compound that has been shown to potentially impact fertility. A December 2022 study published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine found a higher prevalence of PCOS in women with high amounts of BPA in their blood.Finally, polyester can contain phthalates, a chemical commonly used in things like sports bras and other pieces of clothing. These, too, have been shown to have a negative impact on fertility. A study published in the September 2021 issue of the journal Best Practice & Research Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism found that higher concentrations of the chemical have been associated with decreased rates of pregnancy, increased incidences of miscarriage, and other pregnancy complications.“We’ve found suggestive associations between higher concentrations of bisphenol and phthalate metabolites and worse markers of reproductive health like poor success with IVF,” says Gaskins. “What we don’t know is where the source of exposure is coming from.”Exposure to Fertility-Decreasing ChemicalsStill, the obvious implication if you’re trying to get pregnant is to try to decrease your exposure to any of these chemicals through any route possible, especially when you have control over exposure. If we know there are chemicals in these fabrics, decreasing use of them would be more achievable for many people compared to, say, changing your drinking water, says Gaskins.There’s definitely no downside to decreasing your exposure to these chemicals, and while clothing is likely not the largest means of exposure to things like PFAs, phthalates, and BPA, if you’re trying to get pregnant, they’re certainly a good place to start.This article is not offering medical advice and should be used for informational purposes only.Article SourcesOur writers at Discovermagazine.com use peer-reviewed studies and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. Review the sources used below for this article:National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. PFAS Exposure Linked to Reduced Fertility in Women Center for Environmental Health. What You Need to Know About BPA in ClothingJournal of Clinical Medicine. Bisphenol-A and Female Fertility: An Update of Existing Epidemiological StudiesBest Practice & Research Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. Phthalates, ovarian function and fertility in adulthoodSara Novak is a science journalist based in South Carolina. In addition to writing for Discover, her work appears in Scientific American, Popular Science, New Scientist, Sierra Magazine, Astronomy Magazine, and many more. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the Grady School of Journalism at the University of Georgia. She's also a candidate for a master’s degree in science writing from Johns Hopkins University. #fabrics #like #polyester #can #contain

Microplastics from clothes are polluting oceans and human bodies. Discover the hidden dangers and what fashion choices can make a real impact. #closet #bloodstream #silent #microplastics #crisis

Scientists have successfully treated a 9.5-month-old boy with an ultra-rare genetic disorder using the world's first personalized gene-editing therapy. The patient, identified as KJ, has CPS1 deficiency -- a condition affecting just one in 1.3 million babies that prevents proper ammonia processing and is often fatal. The breakthrough treatment, detailed in the New England Journal of Medicine, uses base editing technology to correct KJ's specific DNA mutation. The therapy delivers CRISPR components wrapped in fatty lipid molecules that protect them in the bloodstream until they reach liver cells, where they make the precise edit needed. After three infusions, KJ now eats normal amounts of protein and has maintained stable ammonia levels even through viral illnesses that would typically cause dangerous spikes. His weight has increased from the 7th to 40th percentile. Dr. Peter Marks, former FDA official, called the approach "one of the most potentially transformational technologies" because it could be rapidly adapted for thousands of other rare genetic diseases without lengthy development cycles. of this story at Slashdot. #baby #healed #with #world039s #first

Dr. James Kinross believes gut health is linked to colon cancer risk. Getty Images/ Justine Stoddart 2025-05-13T11:59:36Z Save Saved Read in app This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. Have an account? Our modern lifestyles are thought to damage our gut health in a way that raises the risk of colon cancer. Lifestyle changes can improve the gut microbiome, which could in turn lower the risk of colon cancer. As well as eating healthily, GI surgeon James Kinross eats enough vitamin D to prevent the disease. Colon cancer is rising in people under 50. James Kinross, a gastrointestinal surgeon who researches how the gut microbiome affects our risk of the disease, told Business Insider that poor gut health could be partly to blame.Research suggests the gut microbiome, the trillions of microbes that live in the digestive tract, has a wide-ranging effect on our health. But our sterile, urbanized lifestyles, appear to have made them less diverse overall and, therefore, weaker, according to Kinross, who is based at Imperial College London."You're seeing a generational loss in our internal ecology, which is being hammered with a series of environmental hits that it simply cannot adapt to," he said, referring to factors including microplastics, ultra-processed foods, and minimal access to nature. Many studies have linked But, the gut microbiome is changeable, meaning there are things we can do to increase its diversity, which in turn could help lower colon cancer risk. "It is an ecosystem which you can adapt, and you can modify," he said.Kinross previously shared with BI how he eats to boost his gut microbiome. He shared the three things he does aside from healthy eating to lower his colon cancer risk.Don't take antibiotics if you don't need to Kinross limits his antibiotic use where possible because the medication disrupts the gut microbiome. Trevor Williams/Getty Images As a surgeon, Kinross is acutely aware that antibiotics are often necessary and save millions of lives each year, but he believes we use them too liberally — particularly to treat viral infections they can't tackle."In my house, to qualify for antibiotics, you've really got to have a pathogen that you need treated," Kinross said.Kinross and his family limit their use of antibiotics as much as possible because taking them can disrupt the ecosystem of the gut microbiome, killing off good bacteria along with pathogens, and reducing diversity.He likened it to pouring weed killer all over your garden. "Your garden won't really grow into a lovely garden full of wild meadows and flowers and color. It will just be brown and lifeless," he said.Take vitamin DKinross takes a vitamin D supplement because evidence suggests that having enough of the nutrient is important for gut health. Vitamin D is crucial for several biological processes, including calcium absorption and cellular repair — but also keeps the lining of the small intestine strong. If the lining becomes weak, microbes can pass through it into the bloodstream and cause inflammation. Chronic inflammation is linked to a higher risk of chronic diseases, including cancer.Vitamin D is found in foods including oily fish, egg yolks, and red meat, as well as from sunlight. In countries with climates like the UK's, where Kinross lives, it can be difficult to get enough vitamin D in the colder months, and residents are advised to supplement from October to March.Socialize Social connections are a pillar of health. pixdeluxe/Getty Images Kinross goes cycling with friends regularly and makes sure to sit down to eat dinner with his family in the evenings. As well as being a pillar of overall health, research suggests that socializing positively impacts the composition of our gut microbiomes, Kinross said.We exchange microbes through physical touch, and studies have found that friends, family members, and spouses have similar gut microbes to one another.A 2024 study published in the journal Nature, based on 1,787 adults from 18 isolated villages in Honduras, found that people in the same social network shared more similarities in their gut microbiomes compared to those outside of it. This was regardless of diet, water sources, and medications. Spouses and people living together had the highest amount of microbial sharing, but the phenomenon still occurred among friends and even friends of friends."Our social interactions, our real-world social interactions, define so much of our health," Kinross said. "It's good for all aspects of our health. It's good for our mental health, it's good for our cardiovascular health. It's good for everything. But if you're not having real-world social interaction, you are not really optimizing your gut health, I believe." Recommended video المصدر: https://www.businessinsider.com/how-gi-doctor-prevent-colon-cancer-eating-healthy-gut-microbiome-2025-5 #things #doctor #does #prevent #colon #cancer #ampampmdash #aside #from #eating #healthily