Pesticides During Pregnancy Mess With Your Baby's Hormones

When pregnant women are exposed to common insecticides, their hormone levels go up. Their babies' hormone levels go down. That's not a coincidence.

Three Classes of Pesticides, One Problem

Researchers measured organophosphates, pyrethroids, and neonicotinoids in the urine of pregnant women, then checked reproductive hormone levels in both the mothers and their infants. The results were clear, according to a 2026 study in J Hazard Mater.

Individual insecticides were linked to increased maternal hormones. The biggest spike: 17-alpha-OH-progesterone jumped 67.29%. When all pesticides were analyzed as a mixture, dihydrotestosterone (an androgen) showed the strongest increase in mothers.

Babies Got the Opposite Effect

In infants, the pattern reversed. Several pesticide metabolites were linked to lower hormone levels. Progesterone dropped by 10.85%. The overall insecticide mixture was tied to decreased progesterone in infants, and organophosphate mixtures specifically lowered androstenedione.

In male infants specifically, neonicotinoids like desmethyl-acetamiprid and clothianidin drove more than 15% of the negative effect on progesterone.

What You Can Do

Eat organic when you can during pregnancy. Wash produce well. Avoid indoor pesticide use. And start building a safer environment for your baby with non-toxic baby products.

Also see glass food storage for safer alternatives.

Source: Li Y, Jiang Y, Li R, et al. (2026). J Hazard Mater.