A research was conducted about exposure of pregnant women to pesticide. It was funded by three governments and it says that children whose mothers were exposed to a large amount of pesticides during their pregnancy can lead to low IQ level as compare to their other fellows. The low level IQ is mostly seen at their school age.
Womb’s Exposure to Pesticide
The Pesticides named as Organophosphates are used on food crops like Berries, Green Beans, Fruits, and Vegetables etc. They are also used in homes and gardens.
Organophosphates attack the Nervous System and lead to developmental delays and concentration problem in young children. Two different researchers have found that excess use of Pesticides during pregnancy lowers the IQ level of child.
A researcher analyzed 100 Latin mothers and their children in California Valley. Most of the women were farm workers or their family members worked on farms.
When these women were Pregnant a researcher checked their Urine for the by-products of Organophosphates and found that the mothers who had highest level of Organophosphates, their children had 7 points lower IQ level at the age of 7. This is just due to the exposure of pregnant woman to the Pesticides.
The women who have highest level of Organophosphate by-products are known as Metabolite.
Eskenazi says that Organophosphate passes from mother to the Fetus through Placenta or Umbilical Cord and damages IQ level of the Fetus at later stages in life.
In another study outside farming communities the researchers analyzed 265 Black, Dominican mothers and children from low-income families and found that 25% of those women had Organophosphate levels above the average, as a result of which their children at the age of 7 had 3points lower IQ level as compare to their other fellows whose mothers were not exposed to Organophosphate.
The researchers are happy to have such a consistent result when the conditions of pregnancy and locations are changed.
Researchers are further trying to conclude how the Organophosphate damages the Brain development in a human as they are sure about the fact that Pesticides slows down an important Neurotransmitter in Insects.
