title: [Congenital defects and exposure to pesticides in São Francisco Valley].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  to evaluate associations between parental exposure to pesticides and births with congenital defects in São Francisco Valley, as well as the demographic profile and the defects found.
  
  
  METHODS
  in this case-control study, each case (newborns with congenital defects) had two controls (healthy newborns). The subjects were born in the city of Petrolina, in São Francisco Valley, in 2009. The sample consisted of 42 cases and 84 controls. Data were gathered by a structured questionnaire adapted from Latin-American Collaborative Study of Congenital Malformations (ECLAMC), with the addition of questions related to exposure to pesticides, analysis of the medical records and contact with the hospital's pediatrician. The χ2 test was performed with a significance level of 5% to identify the variables with the greatest differences between case and control groups. Odds Ratio (OR) for the sample was calculated, as well as the OR obtained by logistic regression analysis, and finally, multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  there was a greater exposure to pesticides during pregnancy in infants with congenital defects compared to healthy subjects. Increased risk was observed when at least one parent was exposed to pesticides (adjusted OR = 1.3; 95%CI = 0.4 - 3.9). The sociodemographic variables associated with congenital defects were: low school level, low weight, prematurity, young parents, chronic diseases, and physical factors. Multiple malformations and defects of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems were more frequently found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  the present study suggests an association between exposure to pesticides and the occurrence of congenital defects, although the data were not significant.
authors.affiliation: Disciplina de Bases Morfofisiológicas, Colegiado de Enfermagem, Universidade Federal do Vale do São Francisco, Petrolina, PE, Brasil. silvio-e@uol.com.brRecebido16
authors.forename: Silvio Romero Gonçalves E
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: José Luiz
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Seixas
authors.forename: Daniela Conceição Gomes da
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Sidney Pereira Pinto
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Lemos
authors.forename: Patrícia Veruska Barbosa
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Lemos
mesh_terms: D000014:Abnormalities, Drug-Induced / Q000209:etiology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D018811:Maternal Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018812:Paternal Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010575:Pesticides / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011247:Pregnancy; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D010575:Pesticides