Women who are exposed to pesticides during pregnancy may be more prone to have hyperactive children. A novel study revealed that infants exposed to crop spray while still in the womb had higher chances of being diagnosed with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) when they reach at the age of five.
It is panic that potent chemicals used to keep fields free from pests damage the growth of the brain and the nervous system. The research team from US examined nearly three thousand women for traces of pesticides twice during pregnancy and observed levels in their kids. The kids were also examined for symptoms of ADHD and other attention problems when they grew up.
A strong link between exposures to extensively used organophosphate pesticides in the womb and hyperactivity was found, reported the journal Environmental Health Perspectives. This is the first study that has shown a strong association in the first few months of kid’s life, though ADHD has earlier been blamed pesticides.
Prearranged that these composites are planned to assault the nervous system of organisms, there is reason to be cautious, particularly in states where exposure may concur with critical periods of foetal and child development said study author Amy Marks.
They were concerned particularly in prenatal exposure as that is period when infant’s nervous system is growing the most, said Professor Brenda Eskenazi from the University of California. She added women and infants lived in farming community were more prone to have higher exposure to pesticides. Food is a significant source of pesticide and pregnant women should wash fruits and vegetables before eating.
Pesticides play a significant role in the production of food and in keeping costs down. Any new pesticides have to undergo more than two hundred and fifty safety and environmental tests before being permitted for use. That make it the most snugly regulated sector of the chemical industry, said The Crop Protection Association.