Pregnant women in a key US farm state are showing increasing amounts of a toxic weedkiller in their urine, a rise that comes alongside climbing use of the chemicals in agriculture, according to a study published on Friday.
The study, led by the Indiana University School of Medicine, showed that 70% of pregnant women tested in Indiana between 2020 and 2022 had a herbicide called dicamba in their urine, up from 28% from a similar analysis for the period 2010-12. The earlier study included women in Indiana, Illinois and Ohio.
Notably, the study also found that along with a larger percentage of women showing the presence of dicamba in their bodies, the concentrations of the weed-killing chemical increased more than fourfold.
Both studies found that 100% of the women tested had 2,4-dichloroacetic acid, better known as 2,4-D, in their urine; the more recent study showed detectable, but not significant, increases in concentration levels.
The findings add to a growing body of literature documenting human exposure to chemicals used in agriculture, and various known and potential health impacts. Many […]
We operate a small scale produce farm that grows to organic standards for our community. Therefore, we see no need to use persistent synthetic toxins like those mentioned in the article. I have recently put together a presentation on The True Cost of Food and have been speaking at local libraries, schools and conferences. My presentation includes sections on these agri-chemicals and the cost they impose on peoples health and environmental destruction. I can send you a file with links in it to files on my google drive used in my talk. Thanks Stephan for reporting on this issue.