Exposure to a combination of pesticides increases the risk of complications during pregnancy

While France has just voted to reintroduce a banned insecticide , acetamiprid, whose effects on health and the environment are a source of concern, new research shows the dangers of exposure to multiple pesticides during pregnancy.
A study published in the journal Chemosphere examined the presence of pesticides in urine samples from nearly 90 pregnant women in the Santa Fe region of Argentina, known for its intensive agricultural activities, reports the Guardian . In total, about 40 different chemical compounds were detected. At least one pesticide was found in the urine of 81% of the women, and 64% of them had multiple pesticides. Of these, 34% experienced pregnancy complications.
Food is a significant route of exposure , the study highlights: the number of women living in urban areas with at least one pesticide in their bodies was equivalent to that of women in rural areas. However, about 70% of rural women had multiple pesticides, compared to 55% of those in urban areas, highlighting a greater risk for women living near fields. More frequently exposed to mixtures, the latter are twice as likely to have pregnancy- related complications as their urban counterparts.
Among the complications , gestational hypertension was one of the most common, as was intrauterine growth retardation, which is when the fetus does not reach a normal weight during pregnancy. Women who experienced these kinds of complications showed higher levels of triazole fungicides, a class of pesticides widely used on wheat, soybean, and corn crops. A molecule that is harmful to human health, including reproduction.
While most studies focus on exposure to a single pesticide, regulations governing the use of these substances are also based on the toxicity of a single molecule. Yet, populations around the world are exposed to multiple pesticides through their meals or through their proximity to agricultural areas. This is known as the cocktail effect: substances that are harmless to humans individually can become harmful when mixed.
Thus, the concept of the exposome, which encompasses all environmental exposures over a lifetime, "underscores the importance of studying pesticides as mixtures rather than in isolation," the authors write. They also say these findings demonstrate "the need for a comprehensive review of pesticide use protocols, exposure limits, and health risk assessments in agriculture and horticulture programs."
Exposure to pesticide mixtures "is the rule, not the exception," said researcher Nathan Donley, who works at the Center for Biological Diversity in the United States and was not involved in the study. "We have absolutely no idea how most mixtures interact in utero, in a child, or in an adult ," he said. "Some mixtures probably don't do much, others probably cause significant harm that we haven't identified yet." These largely unknown risks, Donley said, require greater caution in developing regulations.
This study follows research from the University of Nebraska, which showed that exposure to multiple pesticides could increase the risk of developing brain cancer by about 36% in children.
Libération