Pesticide Exposure Links to Stillbirth Risk
Researchers found that living near areas of agricultural pesticide use may, in some cases, double the likelihood of stillbirths.Many people are aware that direct or very close contact with pesticides poses health risks—they know to take precautions—such as donning protective gloves before using some weed-control products in the garden. However, a 2024 study suggested the possibility that exposure to certain pesticides may be a hazard beyond what a person uses in their own yard.Researchers found that living within one-third of a mile from agricultural pesticide use 90 days prior to conception or within the first trimester of pregnancy links to stillbirths and that such exposure could potentially double the risk.Pesticides With Greater RiskThe study, led by researchers at Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health (EZCPH) and Southwest Environmental Health Sciences Center (SEHSC), was published in the American Journal of Epidemiology (AJE).Researchers compared Arizona pest control records with birth certificates of babies born to mothers from 2006 to 2020. They then estimated the stillbirth risks of living within 500 meters (about one-third of a mile) of the use of 27 different pesticides during a 90-day preconception period or the first trimester.Data analysis indicated that certain classes of pesticides are a greater threat to pregnancy. “In this study, some specific ingredients stood out due to their significant associations with stillbirth risk,” said first author Melissa Furlong, assistant professor and environmental epidemiologist at EZCPH and SEHSC in a press release.Because the chemical configuration of pesticides within the same class differs, she emphasized the importance of considering individual pesticides rather than pesticide class exposure.Specific members of the following classes linked to a higher stillbirth risk with preconception or first-trimester exposure:OrganophosphatePyrethroidCarbamate pesticideAssociated with a higher stillbirth risk with preconception exposure were:Organophosphates as a class, as well as malathion, a member of the classCyfluthrin and zeta-cypermethrin, members of the pyrethroid classPropamocarb hydrochloride and carbaryl, members of the carbamate classIn addition, linked to a greater stillbirth risk with first-trimester exposure were:Organophosphates as a class, along with acephate, a member of the classFenpropathrin and permethrin, which are pyrethroidsFormetanate hydrochloride, a member of the arachnid pesticide subclassNotably high risks were associated with acephate and cyfluthrin. “Among organophosphates, acephate showed the strongest effect estimates on stillbirth, so that exposure to acephate in the first trimester was associated with a doubling of risk,” said coauthor Paloma Beamer, a professor and interim associate dean at the EZCPH, in the press release. Exposure to cyfluthrin during the 90 days prior to conception also nearly doubled the risk, she added.Related StoriesIt is important to note that while some pesticides were not specifically implicated, they could still be a health threat to the mother and fetus, stated the researchers.Also, the possibility exists that some people in the study could have lived much closer than one-third of a mile or had more direct contact with pesticides, Furlong told The Epoch Times in an email. The increased risk was inclusive of everyone within that radius.How Pesticides Become a Fetal ThreatPesticide exposure can occur via absorption through the skin, inhalation, or ingestion of foods with pesticide residues.Drift from pesticide spraying may explain how living as far as one-third of a mile from an agricultural site could result in significant exposure.“Before conception or very early in pregnancy, a mother may have high levels of pyrethroids, organophosphates, and/or carbamates, along with other pesticides and chemicals in her body, Robert E. Herron, an independent researcher not connected to the study, told The Epoch Times.Herron added that during pregnancy, these chemicals can enter a woman’s bloodstream and cross the placental wall to harm the developing fetus. Alternatively, they can enter the fetus through the umbilical cord, the structure that provides nourishment.Once pesticides enter the fetus, they generally disrupt neurological functioning and neurotransmitters. Furlong said. For example, some organophosphates and carbamates disrupt the enzyme that breaks down the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which leads to its accumulation between nerve cells. These pesticide classes can also damage DNA and cause nerve cell death. “Early developmental exposure to neurotoxins could cause a stillbirth through this disruption.”Other Pregnancy Pesticide RisksAside from stillbirths, research links pesticide exposure during pregnancy with a range of other health risks.Experimental studies have shown a trend between pesticide exposure and birth defects. These may include those that affect the heart and musculoskeletal syste
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Researchers found that living near areas of agricultural pesticide use may, in some cases, double the likelihood of stillbirths.
Researchers found that living within one-third of a mile from agricultural pesticide use 90 days prior to conception or within the first trimester of pregnancy links to stillbirths and that such exposure could potentially double the risk.
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Pesticides With Greater Risk
The study, led by researchers at Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health (EZCPH) and Southwest Environmental Health Sciences Center (SEHSC), was published in the American Journal of Epidemiology (AJE).Researchers compared Arizona pest control records with birth certificates of babies born to mothers from 2006 to 2020. They then estimated the stillbirth risks of living within 500 meters (about one-third of a mile) of the use of 27 different pesticides during a 90-day preconception period or the first trimester.
Because the chemical configuration of pesticides within the same class differs, she emphasized the importance of considering individual pesticides rather than pesticide class exposure.
- Organophosphate
- Pyrethroid
- Carbamate pesticide
- Organophosphates as a class, as well as malathion, a member of the class
- Cyfluthrin and zeta-cypermethrin, members of the pyrethroid class
- Propamocarb hydrochloride and carbaryl, members of the carbamate class
- Organophosphates as a class, along with acephate, a member of the class
- Fenpropathrin and permethrin, which are pyrethroids
- Formetanate hydrochloride, a member of the arachnid pesticide subclass
It is important to note that while some pesticides were not specifically implicated, they could still be a health threat to the mother and fetus, stated the researchers.
Also, the possibility exists that some people in the study could have lived much closer than one-third of a mile or had more direct contact with pesticides, Furlong told The Epoch Times in an email. The increased risk was inclusive of everyone within that radius.
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How Pesticides Become a Fetal Threat
Pesticide exposure can occur via absorption through the skin, inhalation, or ingestion of foods with pesticide residues.Drift from pesticide spraying may explain how living as far as one-third of a mile from an agricultural site could result in significant exposure.
“Before conception or very early in pregnancy, a mother may have high levels of pyrethroids, organophosphates, and/or carbamates, along with other pesticides and chemicals in her body, Robert E. Herron, an independent researcher not connected to the study, told The Epoch Times.
Herron added that during pregnancy, these chemicals can enter a woman’s bloodstream and cross the placental wall to harm the developing fetus. Alternatively, they can enter the fetus through the umbilical cord, the structure that provides nourishment.
Once pesticides enter the fetus, they generally disrupt neurological functioning and neurotransmitters. Furlong said. For example, some organophosphates and carbamates disrupt the enzyme that breaks down the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which leads to its accumulation between nerve cells. These pesticide classes can also damage DNA and cause nerve cell death. “Early developmental exposure to neurotoxins could cause a stillbirth through this disruption.”
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Other Pregnancy Pesticide Risks
Aside from stillbirths, research links pesticide exposure during pregnancy with a range of other health risks.2 Ways to Reduce Risk
Furlong and Herron suggest ways to reduce exposure and help detoxify from pesticides.1. Reduce Exposure
According to Furlong, to reduce exposure, people should keep in mind that many of the agricultural pesticides implicated in the AJE study are also found in regular household pest-control items. These include foggers, insect sprays, and some weed-control products. In addition, agricultural pesticide residues are also found in household cotton products, such as clothes and tampons.“Maintaining air filters, vacuuming and dusting regularly, and avoiding tracking in dust and dirt from outdoors by using doormats are helpful measures.”
- Avoiding the use of indoor household bug sprays and foggers to control pests
- Using contained bait traps for indoor pest control, if necessary
- Maintaining yards to reduce pest entry into homes
- Avoiding the use of chemical herbicides to control weeds in gardens or lawns
- Opting for organic or pesticide-free produce when possible
- Making a habit of washing fruits and vegetables
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2. Panchakarma
According to Herron, “Women who wish to have children would benefit from panchakarma before conception to help prevent their developing fetus from being harmed by pesticides and other highly toxic chemicals.” Panchakarma is an Ayurvedic practice to promote wellness by detoxifying the body of impurities.The toxins in his study were fat-soluble, which can act similarly to only one class of the pesticides in the AJE study, (the other two classes were water-soluble). However, Herron told The Epoch Times that virtually every person is exposed to hundreds of chemicals at different points in time, which means they have a toxic soup of both fat- and water-soluble toxins in their body.
“The chemicals are not only damaging in themselves, but some can interact with each other,” he said. “In a world full of toxic chemicals, being a fetus is probably the most dangerous phase of life due to their delicate, defenseless, and vulnerable state.”
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