The association between maternal exposure to organophosphate pesticides and neonatal anthropometric measures: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the epidemiological studies on the relationship between organophosphate (OP) pesticide exposure during pregnancy and neonatal anthropometric measures. Materials and Methods: In this systematic review and meta analyses, a comprehensive search of the literature for the association of maternal exposure to OP pesticides and birth outcome including birth weight, birth length, and head circumference was conducted from scientific databases of MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane library until the end of April 2019. We used the following keyword to identify the relevant studies: “birth weight,” “birth length,” “pregnancy outcome,“”birth outcome,” “organophosphate pesticides,” and “organophosphate metabolites.” Only English language studies investigating the relationship between pregnant mothers' exposure to OP metabolites and birth outcomes were examined. Results: Of the 10 articles reviewed, eight studies used to assess the association with birth weight, as well as five, and six studies were used in meta analysis to determine the association between OP exposure and birth length and head circumference. Pooled estimates were performed using a fixed effects model or random effects model. No significant association was observed between maternal exposure to OPs and birth weight (β = 1.520;95% confidence interval [CI] [−10.781, 13.820]), birth length (β = −0.011; [−0.132, 0.109]), and head circumference (β =0.022; 95%CI [−0.06, 0.103]). Conclusion: Although the effect of maternal exposure to OP on the birth outcome is not completely clear, strategies should be adopted to control the use of these substances.

Pesticide exposure and child growth in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review

“…First, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first systematic review to focus only on LMICs. Previous systematic reviews have included both high-income countries and LMICs without comparing and contrasting findings across these two groups ( Khoshhali et al, 2020 ; Tang-Péronard et al, 2011 ). This distinction is important given that approved and commonly used pesticides vary between high-income countries and LMICs ( Donley, 2019a ).…”

“…This distinction is important given that approved and commonly used pesticides vary between high-income countries and LMICs ( Donley, 2019a ). Second, whereas prior systematic reviews have focused on a single pesticides, e.g., glyphosate ( de Araujo et al, 2016 ), a specific outcome, e.g., obesity ( Pinos et al, 2021 ), or a single exposure period, e.g., prenatally ( Khoshhali et al, 2020 ), we considered all types of pesticides, a wide range of child growth and birth outcomes, and both prenatal and postnatal exposure. Thus, we conducted a broader literature review than prior studies.…”

“…Similarly, the literature reports no consistent associations of organochlorines and birth length ( Wolff et al, 2007 ; Kalloo et al, 2020 ). With respect to organophosphates, a recent meta-analysis which pooled 10 studies (eight from high-income countries and two from LMICs) found that prenatal organophosphate exposure was not associated with birth weight ( Khoshhali et al, 2020 ). Although some additional studies have shown null associations between prenatal organophosphate exposure and birth weight, corroborating the conclusion from this meta-analysis ( Balalian et al, 2021 ), others have shown that prenatal exposure to organophosphates is associated with lower birth weight ( Rauch et al, 2012 ; Gemmill et al, 2013 ).…”

“…Although some additional studies have shown null associations between prenatal organophosphate exposure and birth weight, corroborating the conclusion from this meta-analysis ( Balalian et al, 2021 ), others have shown that prenatal exposure to organophosphates is associated with lower birth weight ( Rauch et al, 2012 ; Gemmill et al, 2013 ). Whether prenatal organophosphate exposure is associated with birth length remains unclear as well, with studies showing positive ( Eskenazi et al, 2004 ), negative ( Rauch et al, 2012 ; Gemmill et al, 2013 ), and the null ( Khoshhali et al, 2020 ) associations with birth length.…”

Pesticide exposure, birth size, and gestational age in the ISA birth cohort, Costa Rica

“…3,10 However, relatively few birth cohorts have examined the effects of pesticide exposure on fetal growth and gestational age. 10 Most studies have studied the effects of organophosphate insecticide (OP) exposure, [12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20] but results have not been consistent across cohorts, 10,21,22 and few addressed effects of non-OP pesticides 15,[23][24][25][26][27] The infant's environmental health (ISA, for its acronym in Spanish) birth cohort 28 is situated in a rural area in Costa Rica with extensive banana production for export to Europe and the United States of America, in which pesticides are intensively applied year-round. 29 This use has included the application of chlorpyrifos-treated bags and aerial spraying of the fungicides mancozeb and pyrimethanil (Table S1; http://links.lww.com/EE/ A260).…”