Exposure to even moderate effects of certain types of pesticides during pregnancy can affect a baby’s birth weight, according to a study published in the Pediatrics journal.
An analysis of the cord blood of nearly 494 newborns born in Spain between 2003 and 2006 showed that children with traces of chlorinated hydrocarbons were weighed less immediately after birth.
Chlorinated hydrocarbons are a part of pesticides, the use of which in many developed countries is currently prohibited or largely limited due to their harmful effects on health, including carcinogenicity.
However, researchers note that pesticides remain in the environment for years, and food is the main source of exposure, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Scientists at the Valencia Public Health Research Center considered four types of pesticides: dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), dichlorodiphenyl dichloroethylene (DDE, a breakdown product of DDT), hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and beta-hexachlorocyclohexane (beta-HCH).
They observed that for every tenfold increase in the umbilical cord blood levels of any of these pesticides, the newborns weighed 56 to 113 grams. Moreover, the increased level of DDT was associated with a smaller skull circumference, and HCB – with a shorter body length.
According to the author of the study, Maria-Jose Lopez-Espinosa, the chemicals contained in pesticides react with thyroxine, a hormone produced by the thyroid gland that plays an important role in physical and mental development.
The researcher adds that the results of previous studies on the impact of pesticides on fetal development left many doubts. Again, it is important to take into account the fact that we are exposed to a huge number of different chemicals in our daily life, so elevated levels of pesticides may only be a sign of greater overall exposure to chemicals (PAP).