Pyrethroid pesticide exposure during early pregnancy and birth outcomes in southwest China: a birth cohort study

• Published in: Journal of toxicological sciences Vol. 45; no. 5; pp. 281 - 291
• Main Authors: Xu, Qinghua, Zhu, Baosheng, Dong, Xudong, Li, Suyun, Song, Xiaoxiao, Xiao, Xia, Zhang, Chao, Lv, Yan, Zhang, Xiong, Li, Yan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan The Japanese Society of Toxicology 01.01.2020; Japan Science and Technology Agency
• Subjects: Bananas; Birth outcome; Birth weight; Carboxylic acids; Childbirth & labor; Cohort analysis; Congenital anomalies; Congenital defect; Congenital defects; Developmental toxicity; Epidemiology; Exposure; Fetuses; Food intake; Fruits; Gestational age; Health risk assessment; Metabolites; Pesticides; Phenoxybenzoic acid; Population studies; Pregnancy; Premature birth; Prenatal experience; Prenatal exposure; Pyrethroid pesticide; Small for gestational age; Toxicity; Urinary metabolite; Pyrethroid pesticide; Urinary metabolite; Birth outcome; Developmental toxicity; Congenital defect; Prenatal exposure
• DOI: 10.2131/jts.45.281
• ISSN: 0388-1350

Despite the developmental toxicity reported in animals, few epidemiologic studies have investigated the potential effects of prenatal exposure to pyrethroid pesticides (PYRs) on fetal growth. A birth cohort study was conducted to examine the association between prenatal exposure to PYRs and birth outcomes, and a nested case-control study was conducted in this cohort to evaluate the effects of PYR on congenital defects. The assessment of PYR exposure was based on self-reported household pesticide use and urinary PYR metabolite levels. We found that pregnant women in this region were ubiquitously exposed to low-level PYRs, although few reported household pesticide use. Women who often ate bananas or cantaloupes had a higher level of urinary 3-(2,2-dibromovinyl)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (DBCA), and the number of fruit types consumed by pregnant women was positively related to the concentrations of 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3PBA) and total PYR metabolites (P < 0.05). Increased urinary 4-fluoro-3-phenoxybenzoic acid (4F3PBA), DBCA, and total PYR metabolites were associated with increased birth weight, length, and gestational age, and with decreased risk of small for gestational age (SGA) and/or premature birth. However, maternal household pesticides use was related to congenital anomalies. Thus, although prenatal exposure to low-dose PYRs promoted the fetal growth, the beneficial effects of fruit intake may outweigh the adverse effects of pesticide exposure. This study provided us an insight into the biological mechanisms for the effect of prenatal PYR exposure on fetal development, and suggested that further investigations in a larger study population with low-dose PYR exposure is needed.