Maternal residential exposure to agricultural pesticides and birth defects in a 2003 to 2005 North Carolina birth cohort

Abstract

Birth defects are responsible for a large proportion of disability and infant mortality. Exposure to a variety of pesticides have been linked to increased risk of birth defects. We conducted a case-control study to estimate the associations between a residence-based metric of agricultural pesticide exposure and birth defects. We linked singleton live birth records for 2003-2005 from the North Carolina (NC) State Center for Health Statistics to data from the NC Birth Defects Monitoring Program. Included women had residence at delivery inside NC and infants with gestational ages from 20-44 weeks (n=304,906). Pesticide exposure was assigned using a previously constructed metric, estimating total chemical exposure (pounds of active ingredient) based on crops within 500 meters of maternal residence, specific dates of pregnancy, and chemical application dates based on the planting/harvesting dates of each crop. Logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for four categories of exposure (<10th, 10-50th, 50-90th, and >90th percentiles) compared to unexposed. Models were adjusted for maternal race, age at delivery, education, marital status, and smoking status. We observed elevated ORs for congenital heart defects and certain structural defects affecting the gastrointestinal, genitourinary and musculoskeletal systems (e.g., OR (95% CI) (highest exposure vs. unexposed) for tracheal esophageal fistula/esophageal atresia = 1.98 (0.69, 5.66), and OR for atrial septal defects: 1.70 (1.34, 2.14)). Our results provide some evidence of associations between residential exposure to agricultural pesticides and several birth defects phenotypes.

Association of pesticide exposure with human congenital abnormalities

“…Only Restrepo et al reported increased risk for hemangiomas (Restrepo et al, 1990). Garcia et al detected a positive association of maternal but not of paternal occupational exposure with CAs (OR of 3.16, 95% CI: 1.11–9.01) that has also been shown by Rappazzo et al (Garcia et al, 1999; Rappazzo et al, 2016). …”

Prevalence and Parental Risk Factors for Speech Disability Associated with Cleft Palate in Chinese Children—A National Survey

“…A person with less education has a greater likelihood of being exposed to secondhand smoke [41] or working in hostile conditions [42]. Unhealthy lifestyle elements such as these are not good for offspring [43] and may contribute to congenital defects such as cleft palate [15,44]. Furthermore, parental education level is one measure of neighborhood-based socio-economic status (SES), which was associated with the risk of oral cleft [8,45].…”

“…Genome-wide meta-analyses have identified several risk loci for cleft palate, including 1p36, 2p21, 3p11.1, 8q21.3, 13q31.1, and 15q22 [9]. Epidemiological studies have also identified some parental behavioral and environmental risk factors for cleft palate, including maternal active smoking [10] or passive smoking [11], maternal overweight or obesity before or during pregnancy [12,13], lack of nutrition and medical care during pregnancy [14], professional exposure to certain chemical pollutants [15], and residential proximity to industries [16]. Other studies have shown that older age at childbirth was a risk factor for cleft palate [17,18].…”

Malformações congênitas em regiões de monocultivo no estado de Minas Gerais, Brasil

“…A maior associação encontrada para as mesorregiões analisadas e a quarta para o Estado foi referente às "Malformações congênitas do aparelho circulatório", respectivamente: OR = 2,79, IC95%= 1,87 -4,16; OR = 3,27, IC95%= 2,83 -3,77. O estudo de Rappazzo e colaboradores 43 demonstrou a associação para algumas MFC específicas cardía-cas e níveis elevados de exposição à agrotóxicos. A "persistência do canal arterial", defeito congênito caracterizado pelo não fechamento do duto arterial após o nascimento, apresentou uma associação positiva e estatisticamente significativa com os ín-dices mais elevados de exposição à agrotóxicos (maiores de 90%), sendo estes índices de associação inexistentes em percentis de exposição menores (OR = 1,50, IC95%= 1,22 -1,85).…”

“…Os dados observados se relacionam com os resultados obtidos por Rappazzo et al 43 no tocante as diversas MFC específicas e a exposição à agrotóxicos classificados em diferentes quantitativos.…”