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Glyphosate exposure and preterm birth: A nested case-control pilot study
Meghana Varde1, Roy R Gerona2, Roger B Newman3
1Department of Global and Community Health, George Mason University, 4400 University Dr., MS 5B7, Fairfax, VA, 22030, USA.
Insights
This pilot study found no direct link between maternal glyphosate exposure and preterm birth (PTB). However, potential racial disparities in glyphosate levels warrant further investigation in diverse populations.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Reproductive Epidemiology
- Toxicology
Background:
- Preterm birth (PTB) poses significant risks to infant mortality and long-term health.
- Glyphosate, a widely used herbicide, has been investigated for potential associations with adverse birth outcomes.
- Previous studies on glyphosate and PTB have yielded inconsistent results, particularly in diverse populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a pilot study investigating the association between maternal urinary glyphosate levels and preterm birth in a racially diverse population.
- To inform the design of a larger, more definitive study on glyphosate exposure and adverse birth outcomes.
- To explore potential racial disparities in glyphosate exposure levels.
Main Methods:
- A case-control pilot study involving 26 women with PTB (cases) and 26 women with term births (controls).
- Urine samples were collected from participants in Charleston, South Carolina.
- Statistical analyses included binomial logistic regression for PTB association and multinomial regression for racial disparities in glyphosate levels.
Main Results:
- No significant association was found between maternal urinary glyphosate levels and the odds of preterm birth (OR = 1.06, 95% CI: 0.61, 1.86).
- Preliminary findings suggested potential racial disparities, with Black women showing higher odds of "high" glyphosate levels compared to white women, though confidence intervals were wide and included the null.
- Effect estimates for racial disparities were imprecise, indicating a need for larger sample sizes.
Conclusions:
- This pilot study did not establish a direct link between glyphosate exposure and preterm birth.
- Potential racial disparities in glyphosate exposure warrant further investigation in larger, more diverse cohorts.
- Future research should incorporate longitudinal urinary glyphosate measurements, detailed dietary assessments, and identify specific exposure sources to confirm findings.
Abstract:
Preterm birth (PTB) is associated with a high risk of infant mortality and long-term adverse health effects. Glyphosate is a broad-spectrum herbicide applied in agricultural and non-agricultural settings. Studies suggested an association between maternal exposure to glyphosate and PTB among mostly racially homogenous populations, though results were inconsistent. The objective of this pilot study was to inform the design of a larger and more definitive study of glyphosate exposure and adverse birth outcomes in a racially-diverse population. Urine was obtained from 26 women with a PTB as cases and 26 women with a term birth as controls, from participants enrolled in a birth cohort in Charleston, South Carolina. We used binomial logistic regression to estimate associations between urinary glyphosate and the odds of PTB, and multinomial regression to estimate associations between maternal racial identity and urinary glyphosate among controls. Glyphosate was unrelated to PTB (odds ratio (OR) = 1.06, 95% CI: 0.61, 1.86). Women who identified as Black had greater odds (OR = 3.83, 95% CI: 0.13, 111.33) of having categorical "high" glyphosate (> 0.28 ng/mL) and lesser odds (OR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.05, 12.21) of "low" glyphosate (< 0.03 ng/mL) relative to women who identified as white, suggesting a potential racial disparity, although the effect estimates were imprecise and included the null. Given concerns of potential reproductive toxicity of glyphosate, the results merit confirmation in a larger investigation to determine specific sources of glyphosate exposure, incorporating longitudinal urinary glyphosate measures during pregnancy and a comprehensive measure of diet.
