TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — A new study led by the University of Arizona has uncovered a concerning connection between pesticide exposure and an increased risk of stillbirths, particularly in agricultural communities. The research focused on the effects of three classes of pesticides, which primarily target insects but may also affect human health.
"We actually found ingredients in all three of those classes that were fairly strongly associated with stillbirth," said Melissa Furlong, assistant professor in environmental health sciences at the University of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health. "Specifically, the strongest associations were for acephate, which is an organophosphate, and some of the pyrethroid pesticides."
These pesticides are commonly used in farming regions throughout Arizona, including areas near Phoenix, where applications of zeta-cypermethrin, a pyrethroid pesticide, were recorded from 2017 to 2020.
Though stillbirths are relatively rare, with 2,290 reported cases in Arizona between 2006 and 2020, Furlong explained that exposure to certain pesticides could increase the risk for pregnant women.
"The biological mechanisms these pesticides affect are very basic components of human functioning, such as neurological and muscular development," Furlong said. "When formation is disrupted, we might see something like stillbirth."
For those living near agricultural areas, Furlong says you can reduce your exposure by taking precautions like frequent dusting, vacuuming, and avoiding the use of pest control products inside the home.