A link between exposure to pesticides before birth and low intelligence is being drawn by current research. The chemicals that were studied are called organophosphates, or OP's. These can be found in many products, from the pesticides sprayed on crops to the bug killers used in our homes.
Three different studies that were published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives found that a correlation between prenatal OP exposure and lower IQ in children did exist. Pesticide levels in pregnant moms were measured in the studies, and one of them found that women with the highest levels went on to have children who had an IQ average that was seven points lower than other children. This research is considered significant because it followed mothers and their offspring over an extended period of time.
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