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MALFORMATIONS AND OTHER ADVERSE PERINATAL OUTCOMES IN FOUR U.S. WHEAT-PRODUCING STATES
Citation:
Schreinemachers, D M. MALFORMATIONS AND OTHER ADVERSE PERINATAL OUTCOMES IN FOUR U.S. WHEAT-PRODUCING STATES. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 111(9):1259-1264, (2003).
Description:
ABSTRACT
Chlorophenoxy herbicides are widely used in the U.S. and Western Europe in
grain agriculture and for weed control. Most of the spring and durum wheat
produced in the U.S. is grown in Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, and
South Dakota, with over 85% of the acreage treated with chlorophenoxy
herbicides. Rates of adverse birth outcomes in those states during
1995-1997 were studied by comparing agricultural counties to urban
counties, and, within agricultural counties, those with a high proportion
of wheat acreage to those with a lower proportion of wheat acreage.
Information for this ecologic study was obtained from existing databases.
Rates of birth defects were generally significantly increased in
agricultural counties in comparison to urban counties. However, these
results could not be associated with a specific group of pesticides.
Results more likely to be associated with chlorophenoxy herbicides, were
obtained by comparing high-wheat to low-wheat counties. Circulatory /
respiratory defects excluding heart malformations were significantly
increased for males, OR=2.11 (1.12-3.95). In addition, a seasonal effect
was observed for this category: the OR for male births conceived during
April-June in the high-wheat region was 5.19 (2.09-12.89) compared to
conceptions during July through March in the low-wheat region.
Musculoskeletal / integumental anomalies were increased for both males and
females in the high-wheat region, OR=1.49 (1.15-1.92). Male preterm
births during April-June in the high-wheat region were slightly increased
in comparison to male preterm births in the low-wheat region during
July-March, OR=1.36 (1.13-1.65). These results on the association of low
level, environmental exposures on the developing human organism, are
highly relevant because of widespread use of these herbicides.