Toxicologia Ambiental e Analítica

Prenatal Pesticide Exposure: Meconium as a Biomarker and Impact on Fetal Weight

Abstract

Mona AH El-Baz, Sahar EM El-Deek, Ahmed Y Nsar, Nagwa Abo El-Maali, Faten F AbdelHafez and Ahmed F Amin

Background: Prenatal exposure to pesticides can adversely affect fetal health. This study aims to measure levels of some pesticides in meconium obtained from newborns whose mothers were exposed to pesticides, and to identify the effect of maternal exposure to pesticides on neonatal weight. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study. It was carried out on 190 cases (106 exposed and 84 non-exposed to pesticides). Nine pesticides (pretilachlor, DDT, lindane, chloropyrifos, diazinon, malathion, bioallethrin, α cyprmethrin and β cyfluthrin) were detected by Gas Chromatography/ Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS). Results: The frequencies of pesticides detection in the samples were: 54.7%, 57.4%, 50%, 35.8%, 53.7%, 49.5%, 34.7%, 41.1% and 21.5% respectively. Those who reported prenatal exposure to pesticides were four times more likely to work in agricultural work (OR=4.5, 95% CI= 2.1- 9.8). Moreover, those who reported prenatal exposure to pesticides were 1.6 times more likely to have babies with low birth weight (OR=1.59, 95% CI=1.2 - 6.3). Conclusions: Agricultural pregnant workers in our community were significantly more exposed to several types of pesticides and this was associated with impaired fetal growth.