Pesticides associated to genetically modified foods found in pregnant women and their fetuses

This study was published in Reproductive Toxicology 2011 May;31(4):528-33

 

Study title and authors:

Maternal and fetal exposure to pesticides associated to genetically modified foods in Eastern Townships of Quebec, Canada.

Aris A, Leblanc S.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Sherbrooke Hospital Centre, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada. aziz.aris@usherbrooke.ca

 

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21338670

This study evaluated the blood levels of pesticides associated to genetically modified foods in pregnant and nonpregnant women. The blood of 30 pregnant women and 39 nonpregnant women from Quebec were studied.

The study found:
(a) The herbicides glyphosate and gluphosinate were detected in nonpregnant women and not detected in pregnant women.
(b) The herbicide 3-methylphosphinicopropionic acid and the insecticide Cry1Ab toxin were detected in pregnant women, their fetuses and nonpregnant women.

Glyphosate may cause cancer, liver and kidney damage. Gluphosinate has been linked with heart failure, neurotoxicity, cancer, DNA damage, and reproductive toxicity. 3-methylphosphinicopropionic acid is derived from gluphosinate. Cry1Ab toxin is capable of causing cell death.