(Beyond Pesticides, September 18, 2025) Published in Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology, a study of earthworms (Eisenia fetida) evaluates the toxicity of environmentally relevant levels of three fluorinated pesticides (fluxapyroxad, fluopyram, and bixafen) through a 56-day soil exposure experiment. The dose- and time-dependent results reveal that effects on growth and reproduction occur at elevated concentrations, with weight loss and reduced offspring occurring from energy depletion and reproductive organ damage. Other implications escalate with concentration as well, including antioxidant system failure and DNA damage. As the authors summarize, “These findings highlight the mechanisms of fluorine-containing pesticide toxicity in earthworms, emphasizing their potential to disrupt soil ecosystems.” Fluorine-containing pesticides are widely used in agriculture, yet the chronic effects on soil and soil organisms are not fully considered in regulatory review. Research comparing the similarities and differences in the impacts on nontarget organisms from fluorinated pesticides is lacking, with the current study beginning to address the urgent need to close this gap. “Data indicate that among more than 100 newly developed pesticides, fluorine-containing pesticides constitute nearly half, making them a focal point in the development of the global pesticide industry,” the researchers state. As representatives of the fluorinated pesticides class, particularly succinate dehydrogenase inhibitors […]

(Beyond Pesticides, August 28, 2025) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on August 12, 2025, released a statement, “EPA Announces Action to Protect Endangered Species from Insecticide Methomyl,” in which the agency announced label changes for methomyl, a carbamate insecticide, with mitigation measures that are being criticized as allowing great risks to biodiversity and human health. The label changes, following the National Marine Fisheries Service’s (NMFS) final biological opinion issued on January 1, 2024, actually establish mitigation measures to be determined by applicators using the Bulletins Live! Two website prior to use. EPA claims that this grower determined action will meet the standards of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) by “reduc[ing] runoff and spray drift from treated areas into species’ habitats.” However, the process does not include monitoring and oversight to determine whether the rigorous standards of ESA are being met. The agency says that mitigation tracking is “at the field or farm level,” but it is not required to be submitted to the agency. EPA announced on August 20 that it is holding a 90-minute public webinar on September 16, 2025, at 2:00 PM ET to provide information on the ecological runoff/erosion and spray drift mitigation measures that can […]

(Beyond Pesticides, August 26, 2025) A scientific review in World’s Poultry Science Journal highlights the adverse health effects on avian species from exposure to the widely used weed killer glyphosate (Roundupᵀᴹ) throughout the process of poultry production. The herbicide enters the poultry production system through residues in genetically engineered feed. An earlier article in Scientific Reports concludes that glyphosate’s (GLP) “widespread application on feed crops leaves residues in the feed,” while residues are “found to be common in conventional eggs acquired from grocery stores.” In analyzing the biochemical, toxicological, and ecological impacts of glyphosate on poultry, particularly chickens, the authors find a wide body of evidence linking glyphosate and its metabolite (breakdown product) aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) to debilitating hazards that extend beyond mortality. These sublethal effects include disruption of the gut microbiome and gastrointestinal disease; decreased productivity and diminished reproductive health; hepatic and kidney toxicity; growth and developmental impacts, including teratogenicity and embryotoxicity; endocrine disruption and oxidative stress; and impaired immune functions. The effects of glyphosate, as have long been documented in the scientific literature and covered by Beyond Pesticides here, range from negative impacts on biodiversity and the environment to food safety risks and human health implications. Residues of […]

(Beyond Pesticides, August 19, 2025) A new study from Argentina highlights the importance of applying the concept of the exposome (total exposures over lifetime) as a scientific framework, the value of biomonitoring, and findings of adverse pregnancy outcomes. The study documents the presence and effects of pesticides on maternal and fetal health during pregnancy. The results show that pregnant Argentine women are exposed to dozens of pesticides, and that certain mixtures of these chemicals are associated with harm to pregnancy outcomes, especially among rural women. The exposome, the authors write, comprises the “non-genetic factors that may be involved in the development or aggravation of human disease. The prenatal exposome includes all environmental chemicals that the mother is exposed to during pregnancy (maternal exposome) and those chemicals that reach the placenta and fetus from the maternal circulation (fetal exposome).” The authors emphasize that understanding the exposome almost by definition requires studying mixtures of environmental chemicals rather than analyzing the effects of each in isolation. The second important aspect of the study is its use of biomonitoring. The researchers analyzed urine samples from 90 pregnant women in various gestational stages from rural and urban regions of Argentina. The researchers also collected demographic […]

(Beyond Pesticides, August 14, 2025) A review in Clinical and Experimental Obstetrics & Gynecology links various classes of environmental pollutants including pesticides and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), both of which Beyond Pesticides has extensively covered, to adverse effects on the female reproductive system and common mechanisms of toxicity. These chemicals “disrupt the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis (HPG), impair ovarian function, and contribute to reproductive dysfunction through mechanisms such as oxidative stress, hormonal disruption, and epigenetic [gene expression or behavior] modifications,” the authors say. This leads to menstrual irregularities, infertility, and pregnancy complications, as well as increases in the risk of reproductive system disorders such as endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and ovarian cancer, among others. “Additionally, transgenerational effects mediated by epigenetic modifications, germ cell damage, and placental transfer may adversely affect offspring health, increasing the risk of reproductive dysfunction, neurodevelopmental disorders, metabolic diseases, and cancer,” the researchers explain. This study, integrating recent epidemiological and experimental findings, provides an overview of major chemical classes that threaten women’s health and highlights the need for immediate action. As the authors point out, female reproductive health is important not only for those who choose to plan for a family but also for the overall well-being […]

(Beyond Pesticides, August 7, 2025) The novel study published in Arthritis & Rheumatology is the largest investigation of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in women to date, finding evidence of heightened risks when exposed to insecticides through data collected from over 400 eligible women in the Agricultural Health Study (AHS). AHS participants include a cohort of thousands of licensed pesticide applicators and their spouses from Iowa and North Carolina, with this particular study as the first to consider the link between pesticide exposure and RA as it affects women’s health.   “Growing evidence suggests farming and agricultural pesticide use may be associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but few studies have examined specific pesticides and RA among farm women, who may personally use pesticides or be indirectly exposed,” the study authors explain. The findings reveal that organochlorine insecticides that continue to persist in the environment, as well as organophosphate and synthetic pyrethroid pesticides used in public health or residential settings, correlate with RA diagnoses in women.  As shared in previous Daily News, for the most part organochlorine pesticides, including dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), are no longer used worldwide, but the legacy of their poisoning and contamination persists. These compounds are primarily made up of chlorine atoms, […]

(Beyond Pesticides, July 30, 2025) The definition of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as “forever chemicals” due to their persistence, continues to be debated in regulatory agencies, with many scientists arguing that certain types of chemicals in this vast group are not accurately captured in risk assessments. A wide body of science on the adverse health and environmental effects of PFAS exists, as these synthetic chemicals have become ubiquitous in nature, wildlife, and humans, as demonstrated by biomonitoring studies. Recent research, documented in a literature review in Environmental Science & Technology and additional articles, highlights the importance of a universal, cohesive definition of PFAS that incorporates all fluorinated compounds, including the long carbon chain PFOA (perfluorooactanoic acid) and PFOS (perfluorooctanesulfonic acid) as well as the ultrashort-chain perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs). In order to protect health and the environment from the ever-increasing threat of both long and short chain PFAS’ adverse effects, including cancer, endocrine-disrupting effects, and immune system damage, a comprehensive definition of the compounds causing harm is critical to adequate protection and regulatory decisions. The multitude of sources of PFAS and various exposure routes leads to widespread contamination of the environment and organisms. PFAS in agriculture represents a […]

(Beyond Pesticides, July 25, 2025) The scientific literature shows that microplastics (MPs) and pesticides, both ubiquitous throughout the environment, have synergistic effects that threaten aquatic organisms. This means the combined toxicity of the two substances is greater than the sum of two individual exposures. The most recent study to demonstrate this, published in Ecotoxicology, focuses on the impacts of MPs and chlorpyrifos (CPF), a widely used organophosphate insecticide, on cladocerans, a group of microcrustaceans. As Beyond Pesticides has previously reported, microplastics are found in all environments and threaten not only human health but all wildlife in both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. The universal distribution of plastics means that they cannot be avoided. Humans and other organisms take up plastics in the form of microparticles and nanoparticles by inhalation, ingestion, and skin contact every day. Microplastics are about the width of a human hair; nanoplastics are much smaller, about twice the width of a DNA strand. Larger pieces of plastic are ground down to these tiny sizes by weathering, temperature, biological processes, and chemical conditions. (See additional Daily News coverage on the health and environmental hazards of plastics here, here, and here.) The authors of the current study, in exposing two […]

(Beyond Pesticides, July 22, 2025) A study published in May by Nature Reviews Endocrinology warns that endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs)—substances that lead to disruption of the endocrine system in an organism—are driving a rapid rise in female reproductive disorders. While EDCs encompass many different forms of chemicals, such as plastic additives, cigarette smoke, and paracetamol, pesticides are among the most common EDCs. The review pays special attention to pesticide classes such as per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and organochlorines to evaluate how they derail ovarian development, puberty timing, and hormonal balance across the entire female lifespan. Many pesticides are fluorinated, and therefore classified as PFAS.  Background  Pesticides represent one of the largest sources of EDC exposure. Many persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are resistant to degradation and are capable of bioaccumulating in the food chain, which leads to these harmful chemicals being found in human adipose tissue. The study notes that these chemicals have also been detected in human blood, breast milk, follicular fluid, and other biological samples, explaining their prevalent presence in the human body. The review emphasizes that humans are exposed to a mixture of EDCs across their lifespan, yet current U.S. regulatory strategies do not fully account for combined lifetime […]

(Beyond Pesticides, June 27, 2025) An article in The New York Times (NYT), entitled “A Killer Within Easy Reach,” highlights the use of the weed killer paraquat, a widely used herbicide in the U.S. and many other parts of the world despite being banned in over 70 countries, as the cause of numerous suicides. The article references the tiny nation of Suriname, located on the northeastern coast of South America, as they have “one of the highest suicide rates in the world,” with the majority of those deaths involving paraquat. Globally, paraquat is prevalently used in self-harm incidents. The chemical, when absorbed into the body, among other deadly effects, causes pulmonary fibrosis, making lung tissue brittle and causing respiratory failure. While this pesticide is intended and generally used for weed control, it is also highly lethal to humans in small amounts and is often easily accessible in many households. As the NYT article states, “Pesticides are among the leading means of suicide in agricultural areas of developing nations, implicated in more than 100,000 deaths annually.” Citing examples from around the world, the article states, “Sri Lanka’s crop yields had surged after the introduction of modern fertilizers and pesticides in the […]

(Beyond Pesticides, June 25, 2025) A United Kingdom (UK) study, published in May by the Women’s Environmental Network (Wen) and Pesticide Action Network (PAN) UK, is reporting levels of the herbicide glyphosate—a probable human carcinogen that is also linked to Parkinson’s disease—in tampons at concentrations 40 times higher than the legal drinking water limit. This finding highlights the serious public health threats that result from under-regulated period products, given that 1.8 billion people worldwide menstruate monthly, according to UNICEF.   The report raises fundamental concerns about the harm to women’s health associated with toxic chemical exposure. For tampon users, the vaginal route of exposure bypasses detoxification with a significantly higher absorption rate than skin. In addition, health concerns extend to ongoing chronic toxic chemical exposures to women worldwide working in cotton production and living in nearby communities. Methodology To investigate whether menstrual products contain harmful pesticide residues and whether current safety standards adequately control the risk of vaginal exposure, study researchers tested 15 boxes of tampons directly bought from UK supermarkets. These boxes were sent to an external laboratory for testing that looks for the presence of glyphosate and its breakdown product amionomethylphosphoric acid (AMPA) in the cotton material used to […]

(Beyond Pesticides, June 24, 2025) As changes in the executive branch of the federal government upend expectations among environmental stakeholders, the regulation of food safety in the United States is being revealed as a rickety structure built over a century with unpredictable and sometimes contradictory additions, extensions, remodels, and tear-downs. In the short term, clarity is unavailable, but there have been calls for revision and strengthening of regulatory processes—requiring lawmaker and regulator willingness to incorporate the vast body of evidence that pesticides do far more harm than good, and that organic regenerative agriculture is the surest path to human and ecological health. News reports out of Costa Rica in May brought public attention to drafted legislation to ban pesticides in the country that the World Health Organization (WHO) has defined as “extremely or highly hazardous, or those with evidence of causing cancer, genetic mutations, or affecting reproduction, according to the Globally Harmonized System (GHS).” The headline sparked a relook in this Daily News at the current and historical failure of U.S. policy, which allows cancer-causing pesticides in food production and land management, despite the booming success of a cost-effective and productive, certified organic sector for which petrochemical pesticides are not […]

(Beyond Pesticides, June 19, 2025) Juneteenth, officially recognized as a federal holiday since 2021, commemorates the arrival of Union soldiers in Galveston, Texas, to free enslaved people per the Emancipation Proclamation that was issued two and a half years prior. While June 19, 1865, does not mark the legal end of slavery nationwide, it was a crucial moment in the fight for freedom and continues to highlight the ongoing fight for human rights, equality, and environmental justice.   As Beyond Pesticides has previously shared in the Daily News, this commemorative day is a time for individuals and organizations to acknowledge and reflect on their past and current actions or inactions that perpetuate systemic racism. The father of environmental justice, Robert Bullard, Ph.D., defines environmental racism as any policy or practice that unequally affects or disadvantages individuals, groups, or communities based on their race. Dr. Bullard states that, until the 1980s, environmental conservation and pollution were separate. Many environmental organizations prioritized the preservation of “wilderness” rather than urban areas, predominantly comprised of POC, who continuously experience the disproportionate impacts of pollution and the effects of environmental racism.   Sharing the Science  A recent study regarding the intersections of urban planning, wildlife management, […]

(Beyond Pesticides, June 17, 2025) Funding cuts in the current budget bill include drastic cuts in research essential to protect farmers, farmworkers, and their families. There are many federal agencies funding research, but among the most important of those funding research affecting farmers, farmworkers, and their families are the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).   >> Tell Congress to restore funding that protects the health of farmers, farmworkers, and their families. EPA funding for the Bioecological Center for Research on Children’s Health (BeRCH) project was cut after almost two years. This project had the potential to address farmworker children’s health. Farmworker children can face many challenges–including poverty, language barriers, inadequate housing, discrimination, fear of family separation, exposure to agricultural chemicals, food insecurity, and migration. BeRCH was designed to identify, understand, and address the cumulative impacts on the health, development, and growth of farmworker children. The project goals were to examine farmworker children’s exposures to environmental toxins (pesticides, heavy metals, particulate matter) and non-chemical psychosocial stressors (poverty, food insecurity, trauma, discrimination, etc). Working in collaboration with the Florida State University (FSU) health clinic in Immokalee, the project would have examined threats, implemented strategies to improve health outcomes for farmworker children, and collaboratively established […]

(Beyond Pesticides, June 13, 2025) A report highlights the ongoing stress to the Chesapeake Bay Watershed from pollutants, particularly pesticides. The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the contiguous United States, with tributaries shared among six states and the District of Columbia. It receives runoff from nine major river systems traversing a wide mix of land uses, with significant agricultural and urban areas nearest the Bay and forest along the western boundary. Nearly 13 million people get their drinking water from the watershed. The watershed report by the Maryland Pesticide Education Network focuses primarily on the herbicide atrazine, the neonicotinoid insecticide thiamethoxam, and per- and polyfluorinated compounds (PFAS). Atrazine needs little introduction, being notorious for disrupting hormones, particularly estrogen, as demonstrated by the pioneering work of Tyrone Hayes and more recent research analyzed by Beyond Pesticides here, here and here. In male fish, it can trigger production of egg proteins, especially vitellogenin, and development of eggs in their testicles. These are manifestations of intersex, in which an organism shows forms of sexual differentiation of both sexes. The Chesapeake watershed report notes that atrazine and metolachlor (also an estrogen/androgen disruptor and suspected human carcinogen) occur together frequently in the Chesapeake […]

(Beyond Pesticides, May 29, 2025) A study, published in Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology, “investigates genotoxic effects on farmers in Paraíba, Brazil, analyzing buccal mucosa cells [cells from inside the cheek] for DNA and cellular damage,” the authors write. In comparing data from 33 pesticide-exposed agricultural workers to 29 unexposed people in a control group, the researchers report that the “findings revealed significantly higher frequencies of cellular alterations and DNA damage among exposed farmers relative to the control group, with no significant impact from factors such as smoking, alcohol consumption, or family cancer history.” They continue, “These results underscore the genotoxic risks linked to prolonged pesticide exposure and highlight the necessity for stricter regulatory measures.” As Beyond Pesticides documents in Disproportionate Pesticide Hazards to Farmworkers and People of Color Documented… Again, farmworkers have been excluded from labor and occupational safety protection laws since their inception. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) defers all policy on pesticide protections to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which has been widely criticized for providing inadequate worker protection standards. This study focuses on workers in Brazil, but represents issues that impact communities worldwide. “The agricultural sector plays a pivotal role in Brazil’s economy, encompassing […]

(Beyond Pesticides, May 23-26, 2025) This Memorial Day, while honoring and mourning the U.S. military personnel who have died serving in the United States Armed Forces, Beyond Pesticides recognizes those who are still fighting the long-term impacts of exposure to toxic chemicals as a result of their use in warfare. A recent review in the Open Journal of Soil Science acts as a reminder of the effects that span multiple generations to both the environment and human health following the use of pesticides. The review analyzes the history and impacts of herbicide use during the Vietnam War, as well as emphasizes the importance and relevance for current and future generations. As the authors state, “The United States (U.S.) and other countries, including Russia and Ukraine, need to learn the historical lessons from the U.S. use of herbicides, containing dioxin TCDD and/or arsenic (As), as chemical weapons during the Vietnam War.” As previously reported by Beyond Pesticides, public attention generally focuses on the “rainbow herbicides,” particularly Agent Orange, used during the Vietnam War; meanwhile, it is the dioxin TCDD (2,3,7,8 tetrachlorodibenzodioxin), a byproduct of Agent Orange’s manufacturing process, that has caused the most lasting damage within the country. While the breakdown […]

(Beyond Pesticides, May 8, 2025) A study, published in Environmental Pollutants and Bioavailability, assesses the impacts on Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) with subacute and chronic exposure to thiamethoxam, a neonicotinoid insecticide, and finds genotoxicity, oxidative stress, and changes in tissue structure, among other threats to organ function and overall fish health. “The study focused on biochemical markers, genetic damage, pesticide residue levels in fish flesh, and histopathological changes in fish exposed to different concentrations of thiamethoxam,” the authors state. The threats do not end there; human health is also at risk from the consumption of these contaminated fish. “Unfortunately, neonicotinoids, rapidly washed into surface water from agricultural areas, pose a significant threat to environmental water quality and can harm non-target species, particularly aquatic organisms,” the researchers state. The accumulation of these chemicals leads to “ultimately harming both aquatic ecosystems and human health,” they say. In particular, the study highlights that prolonged exposure to high doses of thiamethoxam can cause “significant negative effects on fish health,” the authors note. They continue: “This exposure led to increased levels of urea and ALT [alanine aminotransferase] in the blood, indicating potential damage to the kidneys and liver. Additionally, thiamethoxam caused oxidative stress, as evidenced […]

(Beyond Pesticides, April 25, 2025) A novel study in Chemosphere finds impacts on male fertility in a bee species (Osmia bicornis) with exposure to sulfoxaflor, a systemic sulfoximine insecticide with similar mechanisms to neonicotinoids. “For the first time, we demonstrate that short-term chronic, field-realistic exposure to a common pesticide reduced pre-copulatory display (36%) and sounds (27%) [courtship behaviors], increased the number of copulations (+110%) and the mating duration (+166%), while finally reducing sperm quantity (25%) and mating success (43%),” the researchers report. They continue, “Our research raises considerable concern on the impact of field-realistic, low sublethal pesticide levels on the fertility and reproductive success of pollinators.” Mating behaviors and the ability to successfully reproduce determines the survival of species. As the authors state: “Mating disorders may therefore contribute to the recent decline in insect and pollinators’ health worldwide. While the impact of pesticides on pollinators is widely considered as a driving factor for reducing pollinators’ health, their effect on mating behaviour and male fertility remains widely overlooked.” The red mason bee (O. bicornis) can “provide essential pollination service for both crops and wild plants sustaining food production and biodiversity while serving as a bioindicator of environmental health.” The abundance and […]

(Beyond Pesticides, April 23, 2025) Recent reviews of scientific literature, in both Chemosphere and Reports in Public Health, associate Parkinson’s disease (PD), the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disease globally, with pesticide exposure. “Given the pervasive nature of pesticide residues in everyday food consumption and inadequate monitoring of their long-term toxicological impacts, the role of pesticide exposure as a modifiable risk factor for neurological disorders, including PD, warrants urgent attention,” the researchers state in the article in Chemosphere. In describing the history of Parkinson’s and previous research, the authors in Reports in Public Health note that while PD etiology is not fully understood, it is a multifactorial disease. “Hereditary factors are present in approximately 10% of diagnosed cases of Parkinson’s disease, presenting early onset; while the other 90% of cases are categorized as idiopathic or sporadic Parkinson’s disease, occurring in older individuals and may be associated with exposure to environmental agents,” the researchers say. This disease, first described by English physician James Parkinson, M.D. in 1817, involves neurochemical changes that present as “the appearance of cardinal motor symptoms, such as bradykinesia, rigidity, postural instability, and rest tremor, which are essential for the clinical diagnosis of the disease,” the researchers note. The […]

(Beyond Pesticides, April 18, 2025) A recent study published in Foods assesses the ability of the fungicide azoxystrobin (AZX) and naturally occurring toxins produced by certain fungi, known as mycotoxins, to display effects of cytotoxicity (cell damage). These effects were evaluated using three common mycotoxins found in food, including ochratoxin A (OTA), deoxynivalenol (DON), and T-2 toxin as mixtures with AZX within human hepatocarcinoma (HepG2) cell cultures. In analyzing combinations of these compounds at sublethal concentrations, the authors find modified toxicological behavior and synergistic effects that highlight the complexities of chemical mixtures, and potential threats to liver health through dietary exposure to both toxicants and toxins, that are not adequately regulated for their interactions. While fungicides, like azoxystrobin, are intended to prevent or control fungal diseases, resistance to these pesticides can increase the presence of fungi, and subsequent mycotoxins, on crops. This scenario allows for co-exposure of fungicides and mycotoxins within food products that present a risk to consumers. These chemicals can threaten human health individually, as the researchers confirm in their study, but present a greater threat in combination. The mixture of AZX with all three mycotoxins exhibits the highest toxicity, with synergistic effects at all tested concentration levels. […]

(Beyond Pesticides, April 17, 2025) A literature review in Reproductive Sciences finds glyphosate (GLY) and glyphosate-based herbicides (GBH) impact women’s reproductive health, adding to the long list of documented harm from this widely used weed killer. The authors note, “Considering the widespread use of GLY, the controversy regarding its endocrine-disrupting potential and reproductive toxicity, and the innumerable lawsuits filed against Bayer and Monsanto by consumers for morbidities related to Roundup™ exposure, the purpose of this review is to summarize the current literature on the potential adverse effects of GLY and GBHs on the female reproductive tract and discuss possible clinical implications on reproductive health outcomes, including polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, and female fertility.”  Glyphosate and aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), the primary metabolite (breakdown product) of GLY, are found throughout the environment in soil and water, as well as in samples of blood, urine, seminal plasma, and breast milk. Studies have detected residues in farmworkers, as well as “in the urine of 60–80% of the general public in the USA, including pregnant women and children.” (See studies here, here, and here.) The ubiquitous use of GLY and GBH, and subsequent persistence, threatens the health and well-being of all.  Previous studies have […]

(Beyond Pesticides, April 8, 2025) A comprehensive literature review in Environment & Health analyzes evidence from human biomonitoring, epidemiological studies, and toxicological studies that link adverse effects on women’s reproductive health, specifically impacting the ovary, to pesticide exposure. In examining the scientific literature, consisting of over 200 studies performed in the last 25 years, the authors find pesticide exposure threatens women’s health through ovarian dysfunction. “Epidemiological studies have shown that pesticide exposures are associated with early/delayed menarche [first occurrence of menstruation], menstrual cycle disorders, early menopause, long time to pregnancy, polycystic ovary syndrome, primary ovarian insufficiency, infertility, and implantation failure in women,” the researchers state. They continue, “Both in vivo [in animals] and in vitro [in cells] studies have shown that exposure to pesticides disrupts the estrous cycle, reduces the follicle pool, alters hormone levels, and impairs oocyte [egg] maturation.” These reproductive implications are noted with many different classes of pesticides, such as insecticides, including organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), organophosphates (OPs), pyrethroids, and neonicotinoids, as well as herbicides and fungicides. The authors, however, comment on present research gaps: “Much of the available epidemiological evidence focuses on legacy insecticides, such as OCPs, and a subset of insecticides that are still in use […]