SEARCHCOHORTpediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology

cohort·pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, epidemiology, public health, neurology·PMC10586492

Association of Prenatal Exposure to Organophosphate, Pyrethroid, and Neonicotinoid Insecticides with Child Neurodevelopment at 2 Years of Age: A Prospective Cohort Study

Environmental Health Perspectives · 7 authors, 2 centres

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TL;DR

In a prospective birth cohort of 1,041 children in Wuhan, China, prenatal urinary concentrations of certain organophosphate, pyrethroid, and neonicotinoid insecticide metabolites—particularly at the first trimester—were associated with lower Bayley MDI and PDI scores at age 2, with stronger inverse associations observed in boys.

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This prospective birth cohort study in Wuhan, China (2014–2017) measured urinary metabolites of organophosphates, pyrethroids, and neonicotinoids in 3,123 samples collected from pregnant women across three trimesters and assessed child neurodevelopment using the Bayley Scales at age 2 (N=1,041). Single-chemical analyses found that higher first-trimester urinary concentrations of several metabolites were significantly associated with lower MDI and PDI scores, with associations more prominent in boys.

STUDY TYPE

cohort

SPECIALTY

pediatrics

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AI pipeline

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ORIGINAL PAPER

PMC10586492

Association of Prenatal Exposure to Organophosphate, Pyrethroid, and Neonicotinoid Insecticides with Child Neurodevelopment at 2 Years of Age: A Prospective Cohort Study

Environmental Health Perspectives

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ABSTRACT

Abstract Background: Widespread insecticide exposure might be a risk factor for neurodevelopment of our children, but few studies examined the mixture effect of maternal coexposure to organophosphate insecticides (OPPs), pyrethroids (PYRs), and neonicotinoid insecticides (NNIs) during pregnancy on child neurodevelopment, and critical windows of exposure are unknown. Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the association of prenatal exposure to multiple insecticides with children’s neurodevelopment and to identify critical windows of the exposure. Methods: Pregnant women were recruited into a prospective birth cohort study in Wuhan, China, from 2014–2017. Eight metabolites of OPPs (mOPPs), three metabolites of PYRs (mPYRs), and nine metabolites of NNIs (mNNIs) were measured in 3,123 urine samples collected at their first, second, and third trimesters. Children’s neurodevelopment [mental development index (MDI) and psychomotor development index (PDI)] was assessed using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development at 2 years of age ( N = 1,041 ). Multivariate linear regression models, generalized estimating equation models, and weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression were used to estimate the association between the insecticide metabolites and Bayley scores. Potential sex-specific associations were also examined. Results: Single chemical analysis suggested higher urinary concentrations of some insecticide metabolites at the first trimester were significantly associated with lower MDI and PDI scores, and the associations were more prominent among boys. Each 1-unit increase in ln-transformed urinary concentrations of two mOPPs, 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol and 4-nitrophenol, was associated with a decrease of 3.16 points [95% confidence interval (CI): − 5.59 , − 0.74 ] and 3.06 points (95% CI: − 5.45 , − 0.68 ) respectively in boys’ MDI scores. Each 1-unit increase in that of trans -3-(2,2-dichloroethenyl)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropanecarboxylic acid ( trans -DCCA; an mPYR) was significantly associated with a decrease of 2.24 points (95% CI: − 3.89 , − 0.58 ) in boys’ MDI scores and 1.90 points (95% CI: − 3.16 , − 0.64 ) in boys’ PDI scores, respectively. Significantly positive associations of maternal urinary biomarker concentrations [e.g., dimethyl phosphate (a nonspecific mOPP) and desmethyl-clothianidin (a relatively specific mNNI)] with child neurodevelopment were also observed. Using repeated holdout validation, a 1-quartile increase in the WQS index of the insecticide mixture (in the negative direction) at the first trimester was significantly associated with a decrease of 3.02 points (95% CI: − 5.47 , − 0.57 ) in MDI scores among the boys, and trans -DCCA contributed the most to the association (18%). Conclusions: Prenatal exposure to higher levels of certain insecticides and their mixture were associated with lower Bayley scores in children, particularly in boys. Early pregnancy may be a sensitive window for such an effect. Future studies are needed to confirm our findings. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP12097

CITATION EXPORT

Aizhen Wang, Yanjian Wan, Gaga Mahai et al.. Association of Prenatal Exposure to Organophosphate, Pyrethroid, and Neonicotinoid Insecticides with Child Neurodevelopment at 2 Years of Age: A Prospective Cohort Study. Environmental Health Perspectives. (2023). https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP12097

AUTHORS

7 · 2 CENTRES

Aizhen Wang, Yanjian Wan, Gaga Mahai, Xi Qian, Yuanyuan Li, Shunqing Xu, Wei Xia

1Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, PR China
2Center for Public Health Laboratory Service, Institute of Environmental Health, Wuhan Centers for Disease Prevention & Control, Wuhan, Hubei, PR China