Assessment of genomic instability using the CBMN cytome assay in mother-newborn pairs prenatally exposed to pesticides in Colombia

Abstract

Agricultural communities in northern Colombia face high exposure to pesticides, posing significant health risks, particularly to vulnerable populations such as pregnant women and their developing fetuses. The genotoxic impact of in utero pesticide exposure remains poorly understood in this region. To assess the association between residential prenatal pesticide exposure and genomic instability in mother-newborn pairs from a rural agricultural area in Córdoba, Colombia. A case-control study was conducted with 86 mother-newborn pairs (45 exposed, 41 non-exposed). Sociodemographic and exposure data were collected via structured questionnaires. Genomic instability was evaluated in peripheral and umbilical cord blood lymphocytes using the comprehensive Cytokinesis-Block Micronucleus (CBMN) Cytome assay. A statistically significant increase in the frequency of micronucleated binucleated cells (MNBN) was observed in both mothers and newborns from the exposed group compared to the reference group (p < 0.05). Newborns in the exposed area showed a five-fold higher prevalence of elevated MNBN frequencies (PR = 5.15; 95% CI: 2.42–10.97, p < 0.0001), confirming a strong association with residential pesticide exposure. Prenatal exposure to pesticides is strongly associated with increased genomic instability in newborns, suggesting the hypothesis of transplacental transfer of genotoxic agents or their metabolites, though shared environmental exposures cannot be ruled out. These findings highlight a critical public health issue and underscore the need for protective policies to mitigate pesticide exposure in pregnant women in agricultural regions.