Can prenatal organochlorine pesticide exposure affect your baby's brain development?

What's actually in it

Organochlorine pesticides like DDT, DDE, and hexachlorobenzene were banned decades ago in many countries, but they persist in the environment. They accumulate in animal fat and enter the food chain through meat, dairy, fish, and some imported produce. These chemicals concentrate in your body fat and cross the placenta during pregnancy.

What the research says

A 2026 birth cohort study in Ecotoxicol Environ Saf followed pregnant women and their children to assess how prenatal organochlorine exposure affected early childhood brain development. The researchers found that babies exposed to higher organochlorine levels had lower scores on neurodevelopmental tests measuring thinking, movement, and language skills.

Even though these pesticides were banned years ago, they're still in the food chain. Mothers with more body fat may carry higher levels, since organochlorines are stored in fat tissue.

Trim visible fat from meat and fish before cooking. Choose leaner cuts and vary your protein sources. If you're planning a pregnancy, eating a healthy diet and maintaining a normal weight can help reduce the amount of stored organochlorines released into your bloodstream.