Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
b.
Developmental and Reproductive Effects
A
developmental effect
is an injury or illness that occurs to a fetus in
the womb of a woman who has been exposed to a pesticide. These effects
include:
•
birth defects (teratogenic effect)
•
illness or death (miscarriage or stillbirth) of a fetus (fetotoxic effect).
A
reproductive effect
is an injury to the reproductive system of ex-
posed men or women. These effects include:
•
infertility or sterility in men or women
•
impotence in men.
Some developmental or reproductive effects are thought to occur immedi-
ately after exposure to a pesticide or combination of pesticides, but they may
not be apparent for some time after the exposure. For example, a birth defect
may be seen only after the birth of a child, which may be several months after
the exposure.
Other developmental or reproductive effects are thought to result from re-
peated exposures to a pesticide or combination of pesticides over a period of
time.
A typical precautionary statement on pesticide labeling is:
•
This product may be hazardous to your health. This product has
been determined to cause birth defects in laboratory animals.
c.
Systemic Effects
A delayed systemic effect is an illness or injury to a system in the body
that does not appear immediately (within 24 hours) after exposure to a pesti-
cide or combination of pesticides. Such effects include:
•
blood disorders (hemotoxic effects), such as anemia or an inability to
coagulate
•
nerve or brain disorders (neurotoxic effects), such as paralysis, nerv-
ous excitation, behavioral changes, tremor, blindness, and brain dam-
age
•
skin disorders, such as rash, irritation, discoloration, and ulceration
•
lung and respiratory disorders, such as emphysema and asthma
•
liver and kidney disorders, such as jaundice and kidney failure.
