Exposure to pesticides, their incarnation during pregnancy and their effect on the neurodevelopment of infants, children of mothers of families residing in coffee growing areas: Cohort study, in southwest Antioquia

Abstract

Background: The intensive agro-industry of coffee, with consumption of pesticides has ordered the course of life of men and women residents of municipalities in the territories of the Southwest Antioquia; Colombia. Colombia has a social processes of incarnation of pesticides that differ from other countries, with influence on neurodevelopment, unknown to date.Aim: To study the relationship between different pathways and patterns of incarnation of exposure to OP pesticides during pregnancy, and peripheral cholinesterase levels, with neurodevelopmental profiles in their infants inhabitants of eight (8) municipalities with conventional coffee growing systems.Methods: Prospective cohort and population base of 200 women. Data obtained through a survey during pregnancy. As biomarker of pesticide incarnation, erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase-AChE and serum butyrylcholinesterase-BChS were determined in three blood samples in the three trimesters of pregnancy The clinical and anthropometric data were obtained from the medical records, interviews and direct measurements of pregnant women and their children. Neurodevelopment was assessed in months 3 and 4 of postnatal life applying the neurodevelopmental scales of Bayley-IIIResults: Pregnant women who live in agro-farmer municipalities embody exposure to pesticides mainly because of their close ties not only to work but also to daily intensive agricultural production systems, a link that begins for most of them with their ancestors and could continue with their children. The trajectory of AChE during pregnancy described an ascending pattern throughout the trimesters of pregnancy and was not affected by the pathways of incarnation of pesticide exposure. On the contrary, the trajectory of the BChS during pregnancy described a downward trend throughout the quarters of pregnancy and was modified by the pathways of incarnation of pesticide exposure.In the development of neurodevelopment, a decrease in the fine motor domain score was related to exposure to pesticides in pregnant women.