Pulse Brain · Growing Health Evidence Index
Tier 1 — Meta-analysis / systematic reviewPeer-reviewed

Biomonitoring for organophosphate pesticide exposure in pregnant women: systematic review

Stewart, P.A. et al.

2020

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Summary

This systematic review collates and appraises peer-reviewed biomonitoring studies examining organophosphate pesticide exposure among pregnant women, a population of particular concern given potential neurodevelopmental risks to the foetus. The review likely evaluates the consistency of exposure measurement methods, summarises reported metabolite concentrations across diverse geographical and demographic settings, and identifies gaps in the evidence base. It provides a methodological reference point for researchers and regulators seeking to standardise exposure assessment in pregnancy cohort studies.

UK applicability

Although the review is international in scope, its findings are applicable to UK policy and practice, particularly in the context of UK Health Security Agency guidance on chemical exposures during pregnancy and ongoing debate around pesticide regulation post-Brexit. UK biomonitoring programmes such as the UK BioBank and ALSPAC cohort studies may benefit from the methodological standards and exposure benchmarks identified.

Key measures

Urinary dialkyl phosphate metabolite concentrations (nmol/L or µg/L); biomonitoring equivalents; detection frequencies across study populations

Outcomes reported

The review synthesised evidence on biomonitoring methods and measured levels of organophosphate pesticide metabolites (primarily dialkyl phosphates) in biological samples from pregnant women. It likely assessed variability in exposure levels across populations and evaluated the reliability and comparability of biomonitoring approaches.

Theme
Nutrition & health
Subject
Pesticide exposure & human health
Study type
Systematic Review
Study design
Systematic review
Source type
Peer-reviewed study
Status
Published
Geography
International
System type
Human clinical
Catalogue ID
XL0993

Topic tags

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