RESUMO
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To analyze the relationship between pesticide exposure and adverse pregnancy outcomes in famers.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A search was conducted to collect the articles about the relationship between pesticide exposure and adverse pregnancy outcomes published worldwide from 1990 to February 2012. Meta-analysis was performed on the collected articles using RevMan 4.2 software.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Twelve articles were collected. Compared with the controls, the pesticide-exposed famers showed a combined odds ratio (OR) for spontaneous abortion of 1.52 (95%CI: 1.04 ∼ 2.21; P = 0.03), a combined OR for premature birth of 1.33 (95%CI: 1.09 ∼ 1.61; P = 0.005), a combined OR for dead fetus of 1.22 (95%CI: 1.16 ∼ 1.29; P < 0.01), a combined OR for stillbirth of 1.90 (95%CI: 0.58 ∼ 6.28; P = 0.29), a combined OR for birth defect of 2.02 (95%CI: 0.84 - 4.69; P = 0.12), a combined OR for low birth weight of 1.62 (95%CI: 0.60 ∼ 4.39; P = 0.34), a combined OR for neonatal death of 2.18 (95%CI: 0.54 ∼ 8.88; P = 0.28), and a combined OR for delayed conception of 1.43 (95%CI: 0.93 ∼ 2.18; P = 0.1). Pesticide exposure increased the risks for spontaneous abortion, premature birth, and dead fetus, but was not significantly associated with stillbirth, birth defect, low birth weight, neonatal death, and delayed conception.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Pesticide exposure can cause adverse pregnancy outcomes in farmers, increasing the risks of spontaneous abortion, premature birth, and dead fetus.</p>