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Pesticide Exposure Tied to Increased Risk for Stillbirth

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Aug 13, 2024.

By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, Aug. 13, 2024 -- Pesticide exposures during preconception and the first trimester may be associated with stillbirth, according to a study published online July 16 in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

Melissa A. Furlong, Ph.D., from the University of Arizona College of Public Health in Tucson, and colleagues linked Arizona pesticide use records (27 types) with birth certificates (2006 to 2020) to estimate associations between living within 500 m of any application site and stillbirth.

The researchers found that during 90 days preconception, any exposures to pesticides were associated with stillbirth, including cyfluthrin (relative risk [RR], 1.97), zeta-cypermethrin (RR, 1.81), organophosphates as a class (RR, 1.60), malathion (RR, 2.02), carbaryl (RR, 6.39), and propamocarb hydrochloride (RR, 7.72). During the first trimester, fenpropathrin (RR, 4.36), permethrin (RR, 1.57), organophosphates as a class (RR, 1.50), acephate (RR, 2.31), and formetanate hydrochloride (RR, 7.22) were associated with stillbirth.

"These findings underscore the importance of considering individual pesticides rather than just the overall pesticide class, as specific chemical compounds may pose unique risks," Furlong said in a statement. "It also highlights the potential for prepregnancy exposures to affect reproductive outcomes."

One author disclosed ties to pesticide registrants unrelated to the research.

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Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

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Posted August 2024

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