Association between pesticide residues in meconium and neonatal anthropometric outcomes: a cross-sectional study in Syria

Abstract

Prenatal exposure to pesticides has been associated with adverse developmental outcomes; however, data from Middle Eastern populations remain limited. This cross-sectional study investigated the associations between pesticide residue concentrations in meconium and neonatal anthropometric outcomes among newborns in Syria. A total of
 123 meconium samples were collected within 24 h after delivery from hospitals in Latakia and Damascus. Residues of diazinon, chlorpyrifos, malathion, DDT/DDE, and permethrin were quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection (HPLC-UV). Multivariable linear regression analyses adjusted for maternal age, maternal weight, gestational age, and mode of delivery were conducted separately by sex, and
 p-values were corrected for multiple comparisons using the Benjamini–Hochberg false discovery rate (FDR) procedure.Among male newborns, diazinon concentrations were inversely associated with head circumference, whereas chlorpyrifos concentrations were positively associated with birth length. Among female newborns, DDT/DDE concentrations were positively associated with birth weight, birth length, and head circumference, while permethrin concentrations were inversely associated with birth length and head circumference. After false discovery rate correction, only the positive association between DDT/DDE concentrations and birth length among female newborns remained statistically significant. These findings suggest that prenatal pesticide exposure may be associated with neonatal growth parameters; however, most observed associations should be considered exploratory and interpreted with caution.