Pregnancy outcomes among farming households of Nueva Ecija with conventional pesticide use versus integrated pest management

Abstract

This article examines the effects of pesticide use by comparing the pregnancy outcomes of two types of farming households in Nueva Ecija, Philippines. One type uses conventional pesticides, while the second type uses integrated pest management (IPM). The results indicated that spontaneous abortion occurred statistically more often and birth defects were more common in households using conventional pesticide than those using IPM. This article argues that individuals who plan to have children should avoid pesticide use because of the detrimental effects in can have on a pregnant mother and her child.