Women exposed to agricultural pesticides – even before becoming pregnant – may be at greater risk of having newborns with poorer health outcomes, according to a new study from the University of Arizona.
The research, published in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology, analysed pesticide use registries and birth certificate data from across Arizona between 2006 and 2020. It is one of the first studies to examine how exposure to specific pesticide ingredients during the preconception period and throughout pregnancy affects newborn health.
Researchers focused on Apgar scores, a standard measure of newborn health taken five minutes after birth. The score assesses heart rate, breathing, muscle tone, and other vital signs, and is strongly correlated with long-term health outcomes through childhood.
The study found that exposure to several commonly used pesticides was associated with significantly increased odds of low Apgar scores, with the risk more than doubled in some cases.
Significantly, the research identified the preconception period – the 90 days before pregnancy – as a particularly sensitive window for exposure to certain chemicals. This suggests that a woman’s environmental exposures before she even knows she is pregnant may affect her future child’s health.
Audrey Yang, a graduate student at the College of Medicine and the study’s first author said: ‘What’s new in this study is that we identified the preconception period as a possible sensitive window of exposure to some of the commonly used pesticides.’
Melissa Furlong, senior author and assistant professor at the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, added: ‘Pesticides are designed to be toxic – very often, the biological mechanisms they act on are present not just in insects and weeds, but also in humans.’
Arizona is one of only two US states that maintain comprehensive pesticide use registries, allowing researchers to pinpoint exactly which chemicals were applied near women’s homes during critical developmental windows.
While the study does not prove causation, it adds to a growing body of evidence that agricultural chemicals can harm fetal development. The research team now plans to examine whether these early health impacts translate into neurodevelopmental disorders later in childhood.
For clinicians, the findings underscore the importance of taking an environmental history. “If you think you have increased pesticide exposure, it’s a notable piece of information to share with your physician,” said first author Audrey Yang.
For women living in agricultural areas, simple measures can help. Researchers recommend vacuuming and dusting frequently, using doormats, removing shoes indoors, and changing air filters monthly during pesticide spray seasons. They also advise against using indoor insecticides during pregnancy and suggest checking household products for specific ingredients linked to poorer outcomes, including beta-cyfluthrin, cypermethrin, esfenvalerate, and fenpropathrin.
Furlong said: ‘I’m not suggesting a blanket ban on all pesticides but we should consider more comprehensive policy initiatives for individual ingredients that exert the most harm.’
Yang added: ‘If you think you have increased pesticide exposure, I think it’s a notable piece of information to share with your physician.’
The full research can be accessed here.
Photo: dendoktoor
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