Research status on maternal pesticide exposure and offspring's risk of congenital heart disease

Abstract

We are interpreting the effects of maternal pesticide exposure during pregnancy on the heart development of offspring. Based on literature review till October 2018, 43 studies were included and three types of pesticide exposure (pesticides, herbicides and fungicides) were focused on. Our result show that maternal pesticide exposure during pregnancy could lead to an increased risk of congenital cardiovascular abnormalities in offsprings. Moreover, it is found that different types of pesticide exposure are associated with different subtypes of congenital heart disease. Generally and relatively, the evidence is consistent and strong for the following relationships: the associations of insecticide exposure with atrial septal defect, pulmonary valve stenosis and ventricular septal defects; the associations of herbicide exposure with transposition of the great arteries and ventricular septal defects; and the associations of bactericide exposure with hypoplastric left heart syndrome and aortic coarctation. Key words: Maternal exposure; Pesticides; Toxic actions; Heart defects, congenital; Fetus