Fetal death and maternal exposure to agricultural pesticides

This study was designed to examine fetal death and residential proximity to commercial applications of agricultural pesticides. A statewide database of all applications of restricted pesticides was linked to maternal address to provide residential proximity as a surrogate for exposure, on a daily basis, for all study subjects. Individual pesticides were grouped by chemical class. Phosphates, pyrethroids, carbamates, halogenated hydrocarbons and endocrine disruptors were chosen for analysis. Using multivariate logistic regression models, adjusted for maternal age and county of residence, the largest risks for fetal death due to congenital anomalies were observed for pesticide exposure during the 3rd--8th week of pregnancy. For those exposed, Odds Ratios (OR) ranged from a low of 1.4(95% confidence interval 0.8,2.4) for phosphates, carbamates and endocrine disruptors to 2.2(1.3,3.9) for halogenated hydrocarbons. When exposure was restricted to within 1 square mile of residence, ORs increased, ranging from 2.0(0.8,4.9) for pyrethroids to 3,0(1.4,6.5) for phosphates.;Multivariate proportional hazards models with time-dependent exposure variables, adjusted for maternal age and county of residence, were used to evaluate causes of fetal death not due to congenital anomalies. Separate analyses were completed for each of the five pesticide chemical classes listed above. In addition, acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (direct, indirect and carbamate) were analyzed. Residential proximity to commercial application of the five chemical classes examined was not associated with an elevated risk of fetal death, regardless of timing of exposure. However, residential proximity to applications of estrogenic pesticides and direct acetylcholinesterase inhibitors in the first trimester of pregnancy was slightly associated with fetal death due to causes originating in the perinatal period and complications of the placenta, with Hazard Ratios (HR) ranging from 1.4(0.8, 2.3) to 2.0 (1.0, 4.0). Similar HRs were observed for second trimester exposure to estrogenic pesticides and carbamate acetylcholinesterase inhibitors and fetal death due to causes originating in the perinatal period and complications of the placenta. No association was seen with exposure to indirect acetylcholinesterase inhibitors. fetal death due to causes originating in the perinatal period and complications of the placenta, with Hazard Ratios (HR) ranging from 1.4(0.8, 2.3) to 2.0 (1.0,. 4.0). Similar HRs were observed for second trimester exposure to estrogenic pesticides and carbamate acetylcholinesterase inhibitors and fetal death due to causes originating in the perinatal period and complications of the placenta. No association was seen with exposure to indirect acetylcholinesterase inhibitors.