Pesticide Exposures and Developmental Outcomes: The Epidemiological Evidence

@article{Weselak2007PesticideEA,
  title={Pesticide Exposures and Developmental Outcomes: The Epidemiological Evidence},
  author={Mandy Weselak and Tye Elaine Arbuckle and Warren G. Foster},
  journal={Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part B},
  year={2007},
  volume={10},
  pages={41 - 80}
}
Since the advent of DDT as an insecticide in the late 1930s, billions of kilograms of pesticide active ingredient have been sold in North America and around the world. In recent years, there has been a heightened public awareness of pesticides and child health and a number of epidemiologic studies linked pre- and postnatal exposures to pesticides to a number of adverse developmental outcomes, including fetal death, intrauterine growth restriction, preterm birth, and birth defects. Given this… 
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There was evidence of a relationship between living near agricultural fields and adverse reproductive outcomes, but the strength of evidence varied between outcomes, and improved exposure assessment methods are needed to obtain a more reliable assessment of the risks.

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Prenatal exposure to pesticides and risk for holoprosencephaly: a case-control study

Observed findings are consistent with experimental evidence and suggest that exposure to personal, household, and agricultural pesticides during pregnancy may increase risk for holoprosencephaly.

Evaluation of Epidemiology and Animal Data for Risk Assessment: Chlorpyrifos Developmental Neurobehavioral Outcomes

There was insufficient evidence that human developmental exposures to CPF produce adverse neurobehavioral effects in infants and children across different cohort studies that may be relevant toCPF exposure.

Atrazine and Pregnancy Outcomes: A Systematic Review of Epidemiologic Evidence

Considering the poor quality of the data and the lack of robust findings across studies, conclusions about a causal link between ATR and adverse pregnancy outcomes are not warranted.

Pesticide Exposure in Children

Prospective cohort studies link early-life exposure to organophosphates and organochlorine pesticides with adverse effects on neurodevelopment and behavior, and among the findings associated with increased pesticide levels are poorer mental development by using the Bayley index and increased scores on measures assessing pervasive developmental disorder, inattention, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.
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References

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