A striking finding from researchers at the University of California, Davis: pregnant women living near farms using pesticides face a 66% increased risk of having a child with autism, according to a study published Monday in Environmental Health Perspectives.
While the researchers stop short of claiming causation, this research raises alarms amid rising U.S. autism rates—from 1 in 150 children in 2000 to 1 in 68 by 2010.
To reach these conclusions, the team cross-referenced California pesticide application data with home addresses of over 1,000 families from a study on autism and developmental delays.
"We found that several types of pesticides were more commonly used near homes where children developed autism spectrum disorder or had developmental delays," explains Irva Hertz-Picciotto, vice chair of the Department of Public Health Sciences at UC Davis.
The study pinpointed elevated autism risks when exposure occurred during the second and third trimesters, critical periods for fetal brain development.
"While we still need to examine if certain subgroups are more vulnerable, the message is clear: pregnant women should take steps to minimize contact with agricultural chemicals," advises Janie Shelton, a UC Davis graduate student and lead author.
