Malathion Effects on a Fetus

Malathion is a well-known pesticide that is toxic and can be extremely dangerous if absorbed into the body. Absorption usually happens when people eat contaminated food or play on grass or ground where the chemical has recently been sprayed. The fetus is actually protected from most effects of malathion in slight doses, when it is absorbed by the body of the mother, but the pesticide should still be avoided. In humans it can cause digestive and nervous system problems.

Uses and Effects

• Malathion is a widely used pesticide that can be sprayed on soil and plants to kill insects in crops, produce inventories, and homes or gardens. While it should never be used inside, malathion is advised for use outside of the home to protect surrounding areas from invading insects. Most malathion is broken down over the course of several weeks. If grown subjects ingest a large amount of the chemical, it will interfere with the nervous system and cause difficulty breathing, nausea and headaches. High doses will shut down the nervous system, leading to unconsciousness, breathing problems, and eventually death when the brain can no longer control involuntary activity, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Transference

• Malathion is transferred to a fetus when a mother ingests the chemical. The fetus does not absorb the malathion directly, but its break down products are passed into it as it absorbs nutrients from the mother. Mothers can absorb the chemical through their skin if they come in contact with it, through the air they breathe if it has recently been sprayed, or through food they eat that has been laced with malathion. Malathion can also be introduced into newborns through a mother's milk if the mother has absorbed it.

Mutation

• In high amounts, malathion has been shown to cause certain development problems in the liver and brain of the human fetus, specifically affecting the glutathione cycle and antioxidant defense system. These systems help neutralize toxic by-products that cells produce and keep the body healthy as it disposes of waste. The earlier in development that malathion reaches the fetus, the more it can alter these systems, leading to weakness and death. This can occur with malathion concentrations at 250 parts per million, or 250 malathion particles per million of particles of air, water or other substances, states PubMed.gov.

Cancer

• There is some worry that strong pesticides like malathion can increase the likelihood of cancer in organisms that absorb it, including human fetuses, but no study has confirmed this. While malathion does cause several health defects, no study has linked its effects to any type of tumor. Cancer and tumor studies have only been conducted on rats, but the doses were many times that any human mothers are likely to receive and showed no signs of carcinogenic effects over two years. Extremely high doses, more than 40 times what humans are likely to ever receive, have led to liver cancer in some of the rats tested, according to Drugs.com.

Birth Defects

• Despite the toxicity of malathion, there is no evidence that normal exposure to malathion causes any type of birth defects or developmental defects once the fetus is born. The only sign of developmental effects are the antioxidant system problems that can develop in the womb, but this is only with amounts high enough to make the mother ill. Tests on human fetuses have been inconclusive, states the CDC, but animal tests have shown that other birth defects are rare and do not occur if malathion is used correctly.

Protection

• Families should stay away from parks and yards where malathion has recently been sprayed, since it takes several days to a couple of weeks for the pesticide to naturally break down. Malathion can often be distinguished by its unique, bitter odor, which can help parents identify where spraying might have recently occurred. Cities may also put up warning signs to help warn families. Users should wear protective clothing when they apply malathion, and families should always wash all fruits and vegetables before they eat them.