Harmful Herbicides When Pregnant

Types

• The three main types of herbicides are chlorophenoxy acid herbicides, triazine herbicides and organic phosphorous herbicides. Chlorophenoxy herbicides use chloride-based chemical compounds to mimic and disrupt the normal growth hormones of a plant, causing it to grow abnormally and die. Chlorophenoxy herbicides are the most commonly cited herbicides when assessing pregnancy risk because of their prevalence as well as their persistence in soil and ground water. Triazine herbicides are commonly used in cornfields and are known for seeping into ground water and drinking supplies. Organic phosphorous herbicides typically use the chemical compound glyphosate, which interferes with a plant's ability to absorb nutrients.

Effects

• All herbicides are toxic to humans, but the risk depends on the level of exposure, type of chemical compound and health of the affected person. Pregnant women are at increased risk because of their compromised immune system. Likewise, fetuses are sensitive to illness and toxicity because of their underdeveloped immunity capabilities. Low-level exposure to herbicides can cause nausea, headaches and gastrointestinal complications. High-level exposure to herbicides has been linked to an increased risk of the fetus contracting leukemia and congenital birth defects. Additional studies have observed a correlation between proximity to an agricultural area that uses herbicides and increased rate of miscarriage.

Research

• A study by Dr. Erin M. Bell of the University of North Carolina found that pregnant women who lived within one square mile of crops where herbicides were used to treat weeds were at a 120 percent increased risk of miscarriage from birth defects. Researchers at the University of Caen in France found that the glyphosate found in common herbicides is toxic to fetal cells, even at levels lower than what is commonly used in agriculture.

Considerations

• The Environmental Protection Agency does not believe that the results of research conclusively prove that low exposure to herbicides causes serious fetal defects; instead, the EPA believes that research demonstrates a correlative rather than a causal relationship between impaired fetal health and herbicide exposure. Herbicide manufacturers have been criticized for placing misleading labels on their packaging that advertises their products as non-toxic when studies demonstrate evidence to the contrary.

Prevention/Solution

• Pregnant women should limit their exposure to herbicides by avoiding areas treated with herbicides and pesticides. All windows and doors should be shut and air conditioners turned off when lawns, gardens or nearby crops are being treated with herbicides. Pregnant women should not handle or apply herbicides.