Paternal exposure to pesticides and congenital malformations

Abstract

Garcia AM, Benavides FG, Fletcher T, Orts E. Paternal exposure to pesticides and congenital malformations Scand J Work Environ Health 1998;24(6):473-480.Objectives A case-referent study with 261 matched pairs was carried out in 8 hospitals of Comunidad Valenciana, Spain, to assess the relation between occupatioilal cxposure to pesticides and selccted congenital malfor~nations. In this paper, the rcsults concerning patcnlal exposure are presented. MethodsThe parents of the case patients and the referents were interviewed to collect inforination about exposure to pesticides and potential confounding variables. Detailed information on direct involve~nent in the handling of pesticides was collected for the interviewees involved in agricultural activities during a previously defined period in relation to conception and pregnancy. Exposure data were reviewed by 2 experts who assigned ordinal scores for the probability and intensity of exposure to pesticide classes and active ingredients. ResultsThe dichotoinous analysis of exposure (absent, present) yiclded some increased risks, although not statistically significant, for aliphatic hydrocarbons [adjusted odds ratio (adjusted OR) 2.05, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.62-6.801, inorganic compounds (adjusted OR 2.02, 95% CI 0.53-7.72), and glufosinate (adjusted OR 2.45, 95% CI 0.78-7.70), and a significant association for pyridil derivatives (adjusted OR 2.77, 95% CI 1.19-6.44). The analysis bascd on the experts' scores (2 levels of exposure) showed some consistent associations for these compounds.C O~~~U S~O~S This research indicates a possible risk of congenital malformations for paternal exposure to some pesticides, notably, pyridils, aliphatic hydrocarbons, inorganic compounds, and glufosinate. It did not find an increased risk for paternal exposure to pesticides in the classes of organophosphates, carbamates, organochlorines, chloroalkylthio fungicides and organosulfurs. These findings warrant further investigation.

Cytogenetic Monitoring in a Population Occupationally Exposed to Pesticides in Ecuador

“…No congenital malformations were reported in the offspring of workers occupationally exposed to pesticides. Results of epidemiologic studies did not provide sufficient evidence to associate exposure to pesticides in mothers with congenital defects in children (García et al 1998).…”

Oral exposure of mice to formulations of organophosphorous pesticides: gestational and litter outcomes

“…A non-hormonal mechanism has been implicated in altering sex-linked reproductive and non-reproductive organs and in affecting the development of the central nervous system (Gray and Ostby 1998). Mothers who were involved in agricultural activities prior to conception or during the first trimester of their pregnancy have an increased risk of nervous system defects, oral clefts or multiple anomalies (Garcia et al 1999). Fathers involved in agriculture have also been reported to have an increased risk of offspring with defects of the nervous and musculoskeletal systems (Garcia et al 1999).…”

Inter‐rater agreement of assessed prenatal maternal occupational exposures to lead

“…For example, a number of epidemiologic studies have identified possible associations of parental occupational exposures with birth defects (Cordier et al, 1997;Correa-Villaseñ or et al, 1991Garcia et al, 1998;Khattak et al, 1999;Matte et al, 1993;McMartin et al, 1998;Olshan et al, 1991;Schnitzer et al, 1995;Shaw et al, 1999a,b;Tikkanen and Heinonen, 1992). However, because assessment of parental occupational exposures in these studies was based either on reported industry and job title, which lack information on specific exposures, or on self-reports of exposures to specific agents, which suffer from low sensitivity and potential recall bias (Garcia, 1998;Bauer et al, 1999), it is likely that the exposure groups evaluated included some misclassified subjects and that the observed odds ratios were biased and imprecise.…”