Parents - Throw out the Insecticides and Cancel the Exterminator

POSTED BY

Dr. Mercola

December 24 2000

1,069 Views

Email a Friend

Print Article

Save this Article

Bookmark & Share

Current Newsletter

Parents - Throw out the Insecticides and Cancel the Exterminator

Seven-Fold Increased Cancer Risk Found

Children who are exposed to insecticides in the home are significantly more likely to get a type of cancer called non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and the risk is increased according to how often the exposure occurred.

Researchers compared the pesticide exposures of 268 children who developed this type of cancer against the exposures in healthy children. Investigators assessed the children's and their parents' exposure to pesticides in the home a month before pregnancy, during pregnancy, or while breastfeeding.

According to Dr. Jonathan D. Buckley of the University of Southern California in Los Angeles and colleagues:

Children whose mothers used pesticides in the home once or twice a week were nearly 2.5 times as likely to have non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Children whose mothers used pesticides on a more daily basis were 7 times more likely to have the cancer.

Pregnant women exposed to pesticides by professional exterminators in their homes were three times more likely to have a child with the cancer.

Children directly exposed to pesticides by professional exterminators were more than twice as likely to develop the disease.

Cancer, December 1, 2000

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

It is certainly imperative to avoid as much exposure to these poisons as possible in order to achieve optimal health. Many readers may however, on occasion, encounter instances where some type of pest control is necessary or warranted. To find out more information about alternative methods to using pesticides, visit The Pesticide Advisor page run by the Pesticide Action Network North America.

Related Articles:

Fatal Asthma in Child From Anti-Flea Shampoo

Pesticides Linked to Stillbirths

Pesticides May Decrease Male Fertility

Current Newsletter

Did you find this article interesting?

Community Comments ( 0 )

Current Newsletter