Birth defects

Agricultural-related chemical exposures, season of conception, and risk of gastroschisis in Washington State - Gastroschisis occurred more frequently among those who resided <25 km from a site of high atrazine concentration (odds ratio, [Waller, S.A., Paul, K., Peterson, S.E. andHitti, J.E. . 2010. Am J Obst Gyn. 202(3): 241.e1–241.e6.] ; Note: Gastroschisis is a birth defect of the abdominal (belly) wall. The baby’s intestines stick outside of the baby’s body, through a hole beside the belly button. The hole can be small or large and sometimes other organs, such as the stomach and liver, can also stick outside of the baby’s body.

Birth Malformations and Other Adverse Perinatal Outcomes in Four U.S. Wheat-Producing States. - A 2003 EPA study suggests association between rates of birth malformations and indirect measures of human exposure to chlorophenoxy herbicides, such as 2,4-D and MCPA,. [Schreinemachers, D. 2003. Environmental Health Perspectives, 111(9).];

Brain anomalies in children exposed prenatally to a common organophosphate pesticide - Virginia A. Rauha,b,1,     Frederica P. Pererab,c,     Megan K. Hortonb,d,     Robin M. Whyattb,c,     Ravi Bansale,     Xuejun Haoe,     Jun Liue,     Dana Boyd Barrf,     Theodore A. Slotking, and     Bradley S. Petersone,h

Developmental neurotoxicity of chlorpyrifos modeled in vitro: Comparative effects of metabolites and other cholinesterase inhibitors on DNA synthesis in PC12 and C6 cells. - Found  that organophosphate pesticides and their major metabolites can affect a fetus or newborn at concentrations that are nontoxic to adults. [Qiao, D. et al. 2001. Environmental Health Perspectives, 109(9):909-913.]

Differential Effects of Glyphosate and Roundup on Human Placental Cells and Aromatase - Study finds damaging endocrine effects of glyphosate (Roundup) to fetal growth at levels 10 times lower than used in agriculture.[Richard S., et al. 2005. Environmental Health Perspectives, 113(6).]

Effects of Transplacental Exposure to Environmental Pollutants on Birth Outcomes in a Multiethnic Population. - [Perera, F. et al. Feb. 2003. Environmental Health Perspectives, 111(2).]

Glyphosate Formulations Induce Apoptosis(cell death)  and Necrosis (cell death in an organ or tissue) in Human Umbilical, Embryonic, and Placental Cells - Roundup causing cell membranes to become more permeable and accelerating the rate of apoptosis and necrosis. [Benachour, N., et al. 2009. Chemical Research in Toxicology, 22(1)];

Maternal Pesticide Exposure and Neural Tube Defects in Mexican Americans . - As sources of pesticide exposure opportunities increased, risk of NTDs also increased.  [Brender, JD., et al. 2010. Ann Epidemiol. 20(1):16-22];

Parental occupational exposure to potential endocrine disrupting chemicals and risk of hypospadias in infants - The risks of moderate–severe hypospadias or multiple defects were increased up to two- and fivefold, respectively, with maternal exposure to most types of EDCs [Nassar, N. et al. 2010. Occup Environ Med 2010;67:585-589];

Pesticide appliers, biocides, and birth defects in rural Minnesota. - Links the use of 2,4-D and other penoxy-acetic acid-derived herbicides to significantly higher rates of central nervous system, urogenital, circulatory/respiratory, or musculoskeletal anomalies in the children of pesticide applicators versus the average population. [Garry, V., et al. 1996. Environmental Health Perspectives 104(4):394-399.]

Pesticides and hypospadias: A meta-analysis - [Rocheleau CM, Romitti PA, Dennis LK. 2009. J Pediatr Urol. 5(1):17-24]; Note: Hypospadias is  an abnormal condition in males in which the urethra opens on the under surface of the penis.

Prenatal naled and chlorpyrifos exposure is associated with deficits in infant motor function in a cohort of Chinese infants - Monica K. Siler, Jie Shao, Binquan Zhu, Minjian Chen, Yankai Xia, Niko Kaciroti, Betsy Lozoff, John D. Meeker

Risk of limb birth defects and mother's home proximity to cornfields - Results found that limb birth defects increased in relation to cornfields. None of the birth defect types studied was associated with soybeans.[Ochoa-Acuña, H. and Carbajo. C. 2009. Sci Total Environ. 407(15):4447-51];

Roundup and Birth Defects - Roundup and birth defects: Is the public being kept in the dark? by Michael AntoniouMohamed Ezz El-Din Mostaa HabibC. Vyvyan HowardRichard C. JenningsCarlo LeiertRubens Onore NodariClaire Robinson, John Fagan

Urinary Biomarkers of Prenatal Atrazine Exposure and Adverse Birth Outcomes in the PELAGIE Birth Cohort - Atrazine metabolite was associated with fetal growth restriction and small head circumference. Head circumference was also inversely associated with the presence of the herbicide metolachlor ; [Chevrier C, Limon G, Monfort C, Rouget F, Garlantézec R, Petit C, et al. 2011.. Environ Health Perspect. doi:10.1289/ehp.1002775]

Use of biocides and insect repellents and risk of hypospadias. - The use of insect repellent during the first trimester of pregnancy was associated with an 81% increased risk of hypospadias.  [Dugas J., et al. 2009. Occupational and Environmental Medicine, doi:10.1136/oem.2009.047373];