preprint · medRxiv
Increased pesticide use in agricultural settings poses potential risks to pregnant women and fetal development. An investigation involving 432 mother and child pairs across three horticulture-intensive regions in Tanzania evaluated the impact of maternal pesticide exposure on children aged four to six years. Mothers provided self-reported information regarding tasks performed during pregnancy, such as spraying pesticides, weeding, and washing contaminated workwear. Neurodevelopmental assessments were conducted across motor, literacy, numeracy, executive function, and social-emotional domains. Children whose mothers engaged in pesticide spraying during pregnancy demonstrated significantly poorer performance in social-emotional development and executive function compared to their peers. Overall, children scored highest in motor skills and lowest in executive function, with older children performing better across all categories. The findings point to a link between prenatal pesticide exposure and developmental challenges, emphasising the need for more objective exposure assessments.
Women form a major part of the agricultural workforce in many regions. Demonstrating links between maternal pesticide exposure and neurodevelopmental deficits in young children highlights significant occupational health concerns. Understanding these specific risks helps public health authorities and farming communities recognise the necessity for better safeguards and workplace protections for pregnant women.
This early-stage observational research does not describe a commercial product or service. However, the demonstrated need for comprehensive risk assessments could inform future demand among agricultural employers, occupational safety bodies, and certification programmes for specialised protective equipment, objective pesticide monitoring tools, or workplace safety protocols designed for pregnant agricultural workers.
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Abstract With the global rise in pesticide use, particularly in Africa, pregnant women working in horticulture face a significant risk of pesticide exposure, which may adversely affect fetal neurodevelopment. This study aims to investigate the relationship between self-reported maternal pesticide exposure during pregnancy and neurodevelopmental outcomes in their children, aged 4 to 6 years. A cross-sectional design was employed, involving 432 mother-child pairs from three horticulture-intensive regions in Tanzania. Maternal exposure to pesticides was assessed by interviewing the mothers, using self-reported questions about activities during pregnancy, including pesticide spraying, weeding, and handling contaminated clothing. Children’s neurodevelopment was evaluated using the International Development and Early Learning Assessment (IDELA), which measures domains such as motor skills, literacy, numeracy, social-emotional development, and executive function. The children of mothers reporting engaging in pesticide spraying during pregnancy scored significantly lower in social-emotional (β = −6.813, 95% CI: −11.53 to −2.096, p = 0.005) and executive function (β = −9.317, 95% CI: −16.007 to - 2.627, p = 0.006) domains, using linear regression analyses. Children exhibited the highest performance scores in fine and gross motor skills (mean = 62.11±19.3), while the lowest mean scores were in executive function (43.97±24.3). The study also found that older children (aged 6 years) consistently outperformed younger children across all developmental domains. These findings indicate a relationship between maternal pesticide exposure during pregnancy and adverse neurodevelopment outcomes of their children. However, as the pesticide exposure is based on self-reports, the results should be interpreted with caution. There is a clear need for comprehensive risk assessments that include objective pesticide exposure measurements, particularly in horticulture settings where women of reproductive age constitute a significant portion of the workforce.
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DOI: 10.1101/2025.05.25.25328321
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