Domestic Use of Solvents and Pesticides and the Risk of Hypospadias in Offspring: A Case–Control Study From Brittany, France

Abstract

Background

There is a growing concern about the potential role of environmental exposure in congenital male anomalies.

Objective

We aimed to assess the association between the domestic use of products containing solvents or pesticides during pregnancy and the risk of hypospadias in the offspring.

Methods

We included newborns from the PENEW case–control study, which took place in Brittany, France, from October 2012 to December 2018. Newborns affected with hypospadias (n = 100) were matched with one to four controls (n = 283) according to the biological sex assigned at birth, center of birth, year, and season of birth. We assessed self-reported domestic exposure to solvents (cosmetics, house cleaning, and home renovation products) and pesticides (used indoors and outdoors) through a maternal questionnaire at birth. We performed multivariable conditional logistic regression, adjusting for potential confounders.

Results

The self-reported use of indoor pesticides during pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of hypospadias in offspring (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.68, 95% CI = 1.5, 4.81), especially those against wood insects (aOR = 13.19, 95% CI = 1.11, 59.57), rodents (aOR = 4.61, 95% CI = 1.03, 20.7), and flying and crawling insects (aOR = 2.77, 95% CI = 1.46, 5.28). Other studies have shown that domestic exposure was not statistically significantly associated with a risk of hypospadias.

Conclusion

The use of indoor pesticides during pregnancy may be associated with a higher risk of hypospadias in offspring, especially those against flying and crawling insects. Further studies might be needed to identify specific molecules to target and confirm our results on a larger sample.