Organophosphate pesticide exposure prenatally influence on pregnancy outcomes.

BACKGROUND

Organophosphorus (OP) pesticides are widely used worldwide. The effect of OP exposure during pregnancy on the offspring is inconsistent in the current literature. Moreover, similar studies in the Middle East are lacking.

PURPOSE

To examine the effects of OP exposure in utero on the outcome of pregnancies in an agricultural region in Jordan.

METHOD

A prospective study, employing a questionnaire to collect women demographic data. Hospital records were collected for newborns' birth data. In addition, urine samples during the third trimester were collected from pregnant women and then analyzed for six OP metabolites to measure exposure.

RESULTS

One of the metabolites, DEDTP, was negatively correlated with gestational age and Apgar scores 1 and 5. There were no other significant associations.

CONCLUSIONS

Exposure to OP during pregnancy is not highly associated with any negative anthropometric characteristics of the newborns; it is probably offset by other factors.