Congenital Defects and Miscarriages among New Zealand 2,4,5-T Sprayers

Abstract

A survey was conducted of professional New Zealand 2, 4, 5-T sprayers and a comparison group of agricultural contractors with a total of 989 respondents. The numbers of births, congenital defects, and miscarriages were identified from 1969 to 1980 by a postal questionnaire. Each pregnancy outcome was classified according to whether or not the father sprayed 2,4,5-T during the year of the pregnancy outcome, or the previous year. The relative risk estimates of 1.19 for congenital defects, and 0.89 for miscarriages, were not statistically significant. These results are reassuring as far as male professional 2,4,5-T sprayers are concerned. In addition, the extent of exposure of their wives from helping with spray activities, and from washing contaminated clothes, has not had a detectable reproductive effect.