Pesticide exposure during pregnancy linked to autism

Living near places that use commercial pesticides increases the risk that a pregnant woman child's will develop autism, according to a study from the University of California, Davis.  

The research involved nearly 1000 mothers, half of whom had a child with autism. Investigators compared where the mothers lived during their pregnancies and births with the location of sites using commercial pesticides.  One-third of the mothers lived within a mile of sites using commercial pesticides. Children of these mothers were at an increased risk for autism.   

“Ours is the third study to specifically link autism spectrum disorders to pesticide exposure, whereas more papers have demonstrated links with developmental delay,” said lead author Janie F. Shelton.  “While we still must investigate whether certain sub-groups are more vulnerable to exposures to these compounds than others, the message is very clear: Women who are pregnant should take special care to avoid contact with agricultural chemicals whenever possible,” said Shelton.

The study, "Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Prenatal Residential Proximity to Agricultural Pesticides: The CHARGE Study",  is published in the journal Enviromental Health Perspectives.

©Mary M Conneely T/A Advocacy in Action