An evaluation of metrics for assessing maternal exposure to agricultural pesticides.

ABSTRACT: We evaluate the use of three different exposure metrics to estimate maternal agricultural pesticide exposure during pregnancy. Using a geographic information system-based method of pesticide exposure estimation, we combine data on crop density and specific pesticide application amounts/dates to create the three exposure metrics. For illustration purposes, we create each metric for a North Carolina cohort of pregnant women, 2003-2005, and analyze the risk of congenital anomaly development with a focus on metric comparisons. Based on the results, and the need to balance data collection efforts/computational efficiency with accuracy, the metric which estimates total chemical exposure using application dates based on crop-specific earliest planting and latest harvesting information is preferre

SUBMITTER: Warren JL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3997755 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Sep-Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature