(NaturalHealth365)  Glyphosate is the most widely used herbicide in the world, accounting for massive spots of agricultural production and invading every part of our communities.  While the link between glyphosate and certain types of cancers has already been established, there is emerging data that suggests that glyphosate impacts prenatal health and birth outcomes as well.

We will examine this study, which observes the link between premature birth, low birth weight, and other peri/prenatal concerns associated with exposure to glyphosate and other environmental toxins.  While environmental toxins like glyphosate are more pervasive than most people realize, we’ll provide actionable steps to help you reduce your exposure and safeguard the health of you and your family.

Understanding glyphosate exposure risks to unborn babies

Researchers were concerned about the potential harmful effects of glyphosate on fertility and birth outcomes, particularly for individuals living in agricultural areas where glyphosate is heavily used.  They focused on communities with lower economic mobility, as these individuals often face the highest levels of exposure.

To understand the issue, it’s important to know how glyphosate works.  Glyphosate is a powerful herbicide that kills plants unless they are genetically modified (GMO) to resist it.  The same company that produces glyphosate also sells GMO seeds designed to survive its application.  As a result, glyphosate is often sprayed liberally on fields, eliminating weeds while saturating the soil, groundwater, and air with a highly toxic chemical.

Researchers analyzed data from U.S. counties where glyphosate use was especially high, often in areas growing GMO crops like corn and soybeans, which were already well-suited to those regions.  After 1996, glyphosate usage soared, and researchers reviewed over 9 million birth records spanning 1993 to 2021 to assess its impact.  They compared birth outcomes – such as birth weight and gestational length – in counties with high glyphosate use to those with significantly less exposure.

The findings were concerning.  On average, babies born in areas with higher glyphosate exposure had gestational periods shortened by a full day and weighed an ounce less at birth.  Alarmingly, the effects were even worse for babies who were already at risk of being premature or having low birth weight, although the study couldn’t pinpoint the exact reasons for this heightened vulnerability.

Overall, the research demonstrated that glyphosate exposure negatively affects gestational time and birth weight for all babies, with the most severe outcomes seen in already vulnerable populations.  Families with lower socioeconomic status, who are often more exposed and have fewer resources to reduce their risk, bear the greatest burden.

Compounding risks of other environmental toxins

Undoubtedly, the relentless presence of air pollution and the widespread use of plastics have caused significant genetic damage over generations.  Heavy metals, air pollutants, BPAs from disposable plastics, pesticides, herbicides, and chemical runoff contaminate groundwater and poison agricultural communities daily.

When you combine the impact of glyphosate on farmers and rural populations with these other environmental toxins, the effects on children’s gestational and birth health, as well as their long-term well-being, are deeply concerning.

Glyphosate is particularly insidious.  Rural communities are exposed not only when it is applied to crops but also through its residue, which remains on food long after harvest.  Wheat and potatoes are especially problematic, as they are heavily treated with glyphosate, and traces persist when they reach the market.  Despite the position of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that these levels pose ‘no safety concern,’ the continued presence of glyphosate in our food supply raises serious questions about its long-term impact on health.

Solutions and preventative measures

PNAS.org
Medicalxpress.com