Final Report on Alleged Pesticide Birth Deformities

A report released in late February by several authors from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as state-level personnel confirmed what had previously been concluded by the State of Florida, namely that there is little evidence linking adverse reproductive effects to exposure to specific pesticides during pregnancy (see Chemically Speaking, June 2006).  In February 2005, three infants with congenital anomalies were identified in Collier County.  They were born within 8 weeks of each other and the mothers worked for the same tomato grower.  All three mothers worked during the period of organogenesis (the period when the fetus is developing organs) in fields treated with pesticides. 

In Florida, approximately 3 percent of live births have major birth defects.  There was evidence to suggest that the three observed major birth defects exceed this expected rate.  Based on farmworker population and birth rate, these three infants would result in a birth defects incidence rate of 50 percent during the 12 weeks in question among female farmworkers employed in Florida.  Obviously, a rate of this magnitude causes alarm and is another reason for the in-depth investigation at state and federal levels.

However, despite the suggestive evidence, a causal link could not be established between pesticide exposures and the birth defects in the three infants.  The grower in this case agreed in late 2005 to cease use of mancozeb, abamectin, and methamidophos.  The report also stated that work practices should be implemented to reduce pesticide exposures.  The full report is at:
http://www.ehponline.org/members/2007/9647/9647.pdf (EHPonline, 2/21/07).