ABSTRACT
ANTECEDENTES: Los trabajadores agrícolas y habitantes rurales están expuestos a productos plaguicidas. Aun cuando las políticas sanitarias se preocupan de normarlos, diversos estudios demuestran exposición en trabajadores y residentes cercanos a las zonas productivas. Entre ellos se encuentran mujeres gestantes, consideradas población particularmente vulnerable frente a plaguicidas. OBJETIVO: Identificar el contacto con plaguicidas, así como conductas asociadas a su uso, en mujeres gestantes de dos comunas agrícolas de la V Región en control prenatal en Centros de Salud Familiar. MÉTODO: Estudio observacional transversal, realizado en una muestra de ochenta gestantes que ingresaron a control entre mayo 2013 y abril 2014. El instrumento de recolección de datos fue una encuesta, aplicada por el equipo de salud al ingreso. RESULTADOS: Las gestantes, en su gran mayoría, alguna vez han tenido contacto con plaguicidas, y cerca de la mitad lo tuvo en el mismo año en que se aplicó la encuesta. La exposición a plaguicidas se da tanto en los espacios productivos, como residenciales. Se observó que las medidas preventivas asociadas al contacto con agrotóxicos son insuficientes. A la vez, destaca la exposición a fumigaciones aéreas, frente a las cuales la posibilidad de prevención es aún menor. CONCLUSIÓN: En comunas rurales puede existir un contacto permanente de la población femenina gestante con plaguicidas, lo cual sucede sin las medidas de protección adecuadas, incrementando el riesgo de exposición a estas sustancias. Es pertinente entonces, desarrollar una labor educativa activa para mejorar las prácticas de uso de plaguicidas.
BACKGROUND: Agriculture workers and rural dwellers are exposed to pesticide products. Sanitation policies attempt to regulate their use, but studies demonstrate that a significant percentage of workers and residents who are close to the productive zones are exposed to these chemicals. Pregnant women are particularly vulnerable to pesticides. AIM: To identify the risk of exposure to pesticides and practices of pesticide handling in women under pregnancy control programs in Family Health Care Centers in two rural districts of the 5th Region. METHOD: Cross-sectional study, conducted during May 2013 and April 2014 on eighty women, who entered pregnancy control programs in either rural district. The health professionals of the Centers collected the data in a survey. RESULTS: Most of the pregnant women declared having been in contact with pesticides at some point. Almost half of them had this contact in the same year of their interview, that is previous or during their pregnancy. The exposure to pesticides takes place in productive locations as well as residential areas. The preventive measures associated to the contact with pesticides are not sufficient. Rural populations are also exposed to aerial fumigations, which further limits preventive measures. CONCLUSION: Pregnant women living in a rural district may be permanently exposed to pesticides. Exposure to agrochemicals is not associated to safe prevention practices which increase the risk of exposure. Educational programs may aid to enhance safe pesticide use.
Subject(s)
Humans , Female , Pregnancy , Adolescent , Adult , Young Adult , Pesticides/adverse effects , Primary Health Care , Maternal Exposure/prevention & control , Environmental Exposure/prevention & control , Health Behavior , Rural Areas , Chile , Cross-Sectional Studies , Surveys and Questionnaires , Agrochemicals , Maternal Exposure/statistics & numerical data , Pesticide Exposure , Agriculture , Environmental Exposure/statistics & numerical data , Personal Protective EquipmentABSTRACT
Several epidemiological studies link pesticide exposure to reproductive and developmental toxicity. However, additional studies have shown little or no evidence to support such relationship. On the other hand, experimental data show that some pesticides may indeed alter the reproductive function or produce birth defects (as evidenced by intrauterine death, in utero growth retardation, visceral and skeletal malformations or functional deficits) in laboratory animals. This review is a critical analysis of the epidemiological and experimental evidence available to date, that links pesticide exposure with induction of reproductive or developmental defects. Factors that must be considered when establishing a cause-effect relationship are also discussed, including the shape of the dose-response curve, exposure to pesticides in chemical mixtures and the influence of genetic background.