Time to pregnancy and occupational exposure to pesticides in fruit growers in The Netherlands.

Abstract

Objectives-Although pesticides are regularly used in agriculture, relatively little is known about possible adverse health effects, especially reproductive effects, due to occupational exposure. This explorative study investigates the relation between exposure of the fruit grower to pesticides and fecundability (probability of pregnancy) in a population of fruit growers. Methods-The analysis is based on self reported data and includes 91 pregnancies during [1978][1979][1980][1981][1982][1983][1984][1985][1986][1987][1988][1989][1990] of 43 couples. Cox' proportional hazards model was used to analyse time to pregnancy after correction for gravidity and consultation with a physician for fertility problems.Results and conclusions-Application of pesticides solely by the owner was associated with a long time to pregnancy, resulting in a fecundability ratio of 0X46 (95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.28-0.77). Similarly a low spraying velocity (t< 1-5 hectares/h) resulted in a fecundability ratio of 0-47 (95% CI 0.29-0.76) and is associated with the use of older spraying techniques and tractors without a cabin. These factors were assumed to cause high exposure, which was confirmed by exposure measurements in the field. The effect of high exposure was mainly apparent if the couple had intended to become pregnant in the period from March-November (fecundability ratio 0-42, 95% CI 0-20-0.92). This is the period in which pesticides are applied. Out of the spraying season the effect of a high exposure was absent (fecundability ratio 0'82, 95% CI 0.33-2-02). In the high exposure group 28% of the pregnancies had been preceded by consulting a physician because of fertility problems, compared with 8% in the low exposure group. These findings indicate that an adverse effect of exposure to pesticides on fecundability is likely. (Occup Environ Med 1994;51:693-699)

Time to pregnancy among the wives of Finnish greenhouse workers

“…Our findings are in accordance with the observations of two Dutch studies (4,18). In the first study, fertility was reduced in the families of exposed fruit growers (4).…”

Developmental toxicity of a commercial herbicide mixture in mice: I. Effects on embryo implantation and litter size.

“…Wives of Dutch fruit growers exposed to pesticides showed an increase in time to pregnancy, defined as the number of noncontraceptive menstrual cycles or months required for a couple to conceive, although no specific pesticide or group of pesticides could be singled out as responsible for the effect (de Cock et al 1994). Time to pregnancy was also used by Curtis et al (1999), but they did not find a consistent pattern of association between pesticide exposure and time to pregnancy among Canadian farm couples.…”

Exposición a pesticidas y toxicidad reproductiva y del desarrollo en humanos: Análisis de la evidencia epidemiológica y experimental

“…En cuanto a toxicidad reproductiva, de Cock y col 15 , asociaron una disminución en la fertilidad (medida como un aumento en el número de ciclos menstruales sin anticonceptivos que demora una mujer en embarazarse), con la exposición a pesticidas, en mujeres holandesas esposas de agricultores frutícolas, aunque ningún grupo específico de pesticidas pudo identificarse como causante directo de tal efecto. Este mismo parámetro, empleado para estudiar fertilidad, fue utilizado en parejas canadienses por Curtis y col 16 , quienes demostraron que algunos pesticidas, como insecticidas organofosforados y herbicidas derivados del ácido fenoxiacético, estaban asociados con una disminución en la fecundidad de mujeres dedicadas a actividades laborales relacionadas con dichos pesticidas.…”