A study, funded by the US government through the National Institutes of Health – NIH) and other public research institutions, provides worrying about the impact of pesticides on children’s health.
Research is the first to show that exposure to pesticides during pregnancy significantly increases the risk of death in children diagnosed later with leukemia, emphasizing the importance of protecting the environment in which pregnant and newborns live
Public concerns about the harmful effects of pesticides and other environmental pollutants continue to grow, especially when it comes to children, who are much more vulnerable to these toxic substances.
Until now, studies have shown an association between exposure to pesticides and an increased risk of leukemia in childhood.
However, the new study goes on, showing that the little ones diagnosed with leukemia, whose mothers were exposed to pesticides during pregnancy, present a higher risk of death, highlighting a major danger that affects the health of children from the prenatal period.
The study, published in the journal of Cancers, analyzed the data of over 800 children diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (LLA) – the most common form of leukemia in children – evaluating the impact of pesticides on the survival rate at five years.
Children whose mothers were exposed to any type of pesticide during pregnancy had a 60% higher risk.
Exposure to rodenticides/raticides (pesticides used to combat rodents, colloquial rats poison) was associated with an alarming 91% increase in death risk.
In total, 92% of the children included in the research were exposed to at least one type of pesticide before or after birth, which highlights how often these substances are found in the environment in which children live.
“This study emphasizes that exposures to chemicals in the domestic environment, just before birth, can have long -term effects on the chances of survival after a diagnosis of leukemia. Although more research is needed, our conclusions show how important it is to limit the contact of children with harmful pesticides,” said Dr. University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) Benioff Children’s Hospitals, study co-author, quoted in a statement.
The analysis also highlighted significant differences between demographic groups
Children diagnosed with leukemia before the age of one year, those from families with low income and educational level, as well as children of color had the highest mortality rates.
In addition, among the white children exposed to rodenticides, the risk of death was higher than in other groups.
On the other hand, breastfeeding had a protective effect, reducing the risk of death.
“The results suggest that the evolution of the disease does not depend only on the quality of medical care, but also on the environmental factors and the conditions in which the families live,” said Dr. Seem Desai, the main author of the study, at the University of California, Berkeley School of Public Health.
Research is added to recent studies that have shown that exposure to cigarette smoke and air pollution, during pregnancy and after birth, also increases the risk of death in children.
Children are particularly vulnerable to the effects of toxic substances, because, in relation to the weight and size of their growing body, the concentrations of absorbed chemicals are higher.
Other studies, also published in the magazine, have shown that pesticides affect cognitive, behavioral and motor development of children, but the resources dedicated to monitoring and reducing environmental pollution are still insufficient in many regions.
To support families, Western States Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units (WSPEHSU) from UCSF offers free resources through the “Prescriptions for Prevention” program, which includes recommendations to reduce pesticides.
The conclusions of this study once again emphasizes the need for public policies and public health measures meant to protect children from the harmful effects of pesticides and other environmental pollutants.
