Pesticides can have a profound impact on children even before they’re born. A first-of-its-kind study presented at the European Respiratory Society International Congress late last week found that babies exposed to higher levels of organochlorine compounds in the womb go on to have worse lung function in childhood.
Previous research indicated links between exposure to chemicals such as the pesticide DDT, electrical insulators and other industrial products in the womb and parents reporting respiratory diseases such as wheezing, asthma and chest infections. This new study from the European Lung Association is the first to show a link with lung strength and capacity in relations to the exposure of these low-level chemicals.
“Babies and children are the most susceptible population since their organs are still under development, and damage to the lungs at birth can have a huge impact in later life,” said Professor Mina Gaga, who is President of the European Respiratory Society and Medical Director and Head of the Respiratory Department of Athens Chest Hospital, Greece. “A clear link has been demonstrated between low lung function in early adulthood and respiratory, cardiovascular and metabolic issues in later life, and ultimately premature death.”
While many of these chemicals have been banned in most parts of the world, they degrade very slowly and are still present in the environment and foods.
“We already have evidence that exposure to environmental chemicals including organochlorine compounds can have an impact on children’s health,” said Dr Maribel Casas, assistant research professor at the Barcelona Institute for Global Health, a centre supported by the “la Caixa” Foundation, Spain. “Even though this group of chemicals were banned in the 1970s, low but detectable levels are still present in pregnant women and in children. That means current populations and future generations are still exposed to these compounds.”
The organochlorine compounds are believed to interfere with the hormone system and have been connected to cardiovascular disorders, cancers and low birth weight babies. The babies in the womb are exposed to these via the placenta and breastfeeding.
“We know that this group of chemicals can interfere with the body’s hormone system and we also know that hormone receptors play an important role in foetal development of the lungs, so this could be the mechanism for a link,” Dr. Casas said.
The study followed 1,308 babies born in Spain between 2004 and 2008. Umbilical cord blood was used to measure the amount of seven different organochlorine compounds in the pregnant mother’s blood. At 4 and 7-years-of-age the children were asked to take part in tests that measured their lung function.
Trained nurses and paediatic pulmonologists measured the children’s lung volume and checked for any obstruction of the airways.
Researchers found that levels of DDE (a chemical formed when DDT is broken down), was linked with inferior lung function in children at both ages.
In particular, exposure to maternal concentrations of DDE between 0.23 and 0.50 nanograms per millilitre was connected with a 50-millilitre reduction in how much air children could blow out in one second. The average (median) level of DDE found in children involved in the study was 0.28 nanograms per milliliter.
Even though the effect on the children’s lungs is small, the researchers stated that this study is important and relevant in determining the overall health of all children through controlling harmful substances.
“…These smaller changes are highly relevant at population level and can be important in children with respiratory conditions,” Dr. Casas said.
The researchers say pregnant women should avoid eating food that possibly contains organochlorine compounds, including fattier meats and oily fish. Eating food that’s certified organic can be another way to avoid this since organic foods have to meet stringent requirements to be certified, which includes land and soil requirements for growing crops.
As a next step, researchers will look to study older children and teens to see if the lung problems continue to persist.
In the United States, a similar study that looked at implications of agricultural pesticide use on farmers and their children, which has been running for almost two decades, has been threatened by the Environmental Protection Agency. Read more about that here.
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I’m not really surprised to hear this because everything moms ingest goes straight to baby. We have to be so careful about what we put into our bodies.
I remember when my dad was a farmer – many years ago. There were certain pesticides that the government deemed safe. Since those days, they have been banned! All dangerous pesticides need to be banned.
I can see how this is true. I tried to stay healthy when I was pregnant because I wanted the baby to be healthy. Luckily they don’t have lung problems. Both could scream down the house as infants.
Known this information for years. Especially if you grow up on a farm or in farm country.
I am 100% NOT surprised by this. Our bodies are affected by everything in our environment, and our babies are impacted by everything that impacts us. This makes total, horrifying sense to me.
That makes sense, I’ve been careful during my pregnancy to eat healthy since I know everything goes straight to the baby. It’s still scary though.
Thank you for sharing this information. I hope more will be done in the future in regard to regulatory guidelines.
I am lucky my kids have been healthy up until now. Having a baby will always be a time to be very careful especially with your diet.
This does not surprise me at all. I am glad there is more reserach coming out about this
This is terrifying especially for the people like me – who is just planning to have a baby. The sad part that it’s really hard to track the pesticides all the time in the USA. Not everything that says “Organic” is really organic.
I know quite a bit about this thanks to my work within the green community. It’s sad that companies don’t care what these toxins are doing to us.
It can be so scary to realize how many things you can come in contact with when pregnant can not be safe for your baby. I remember worrying about everything I ate or touched. It’s important to know about the danger of pesticides.
I’m definitely not surprised to hear this. It’s so scary how so many things have such a horrible impact on our bodies and especially important to avoid these chemicals during pregnancy.
Yikes! Babies are so vulnerable – that’s so sad! I had no idea about ANY of this stuff because I don’t have kids, but it was sure eye opening!
I’m not really surprised by this, but it’s important to consider. You want to keep your baby as safe as possible. Especially when they’re just developing.
This is terrible but I believe it! There is just so many things that can harm us in this world when it comes to chemicals!
I’m glad you shared this because this is very important. This doesn’t really surprise me though. Pretty much anything we have is going right to the baby.
I definitely can believe this. Hopefully with more research something will be done so less and less pesticides will be used. We have got to get a handle on this.
This scares me. I feel like pesticides are used SO widely and frequently, it’s almost impossible to get away from an area that has been treated!
This is really eye opening and also scary!
Pesticides are used so much by different companies. It is hard to know what foods to purchase at the stores these days!
Thank you for sharing this information. I hope expectant parents will find this post and read it from beginning to end!
This is such a great info. I hope mommies will be very careful about everything they do when they are pregnant.
During my younger years, we lived in a farm and everytime my father would apply pesticides in the rice field, he would advise us to go somewhere even when the said pesticides are deemed safe, he was still cautious. Even the safest ones can have an impact to anyone including the unborn.
Ohh, I am so glad I stumble over this site. Glad to learn about this information and indeed should be shared. We should be aware of this kinds of information to avoid it immediately.
Such good info! Such a scary world we live in.
It is just so crazy that so many things in the air can affect us or our babies this way. I am so glad to hear this news that I can share with my pregnant mommy friends.
I’m expecting right now and have tried to eat as much organic food as possible. It’s crazy how many things our little ones can be exposed to with a “traditional” diet!
Being pregnant means extra cautious I always heard about chemicals like pesticides are harmful. Even those mosquito repellent that people use.
It’s crazy when you think of all the esticides used and we actually eat when pregnant. Great information
That’s so scary… so what can we do to limit the effect of this? Avoid vegetables altogether during pregnancy, or buy only non pesticide-sprayed vegetables? Is there such a thing? Thanks for the valuable info!
This is very informative and eye opener. Pregnant women should always be extra careful. Thanks for sharing!
This is so scary! Thank you so much for sharing. I don’t have babies yet, but plan to in the next few years. I am so glad I found this post.
Pesticides is harmful. It’s important for pregnant moms to be aware of food that goes into the body. It’s scary to think the damage it gives. Thanks for the info!
I am so glad i do not have to be pregnant anymore. this is some scary information.
So scary. Wish I had eaten all organic foods when I was pregnant. My kids didn’t have major lung issues thankfully. We can’t be too careful when pregnant. Great info to get out to pregnant moms.
Well, it’s a little late for me to find out about this now, but it’s definitely frightening. So many scary things can affect your baby these days.
This is really important, especially for couples planning to have a child. This research changes a lot of things, that’s for sure. We have to be more careful with the chemicals around us.
This is an article that is truly worth sharing! I am not surprised with the effects pesticides can have on an unborn child. We unknowingly ingest food laden with chemical which could harm the child in our womb. Thankfully, my kids grew up healthy. I will share this post with my friends and family who are still in the reproductive age.
The effect of global industrialization is chemical by-products. We must really be careful of what we use, eat and discard to keep the environment safe for everyone. Sharing this post so that others may be aware and be more health conscious.
It is great that you shared this with us. First time I read about how non-stick vessels were harmful for women and new borns I was appalled now I understand it is best if we stay educated.