Last Updated on August 2, 2026 10:16 pm by INDIAN AWAAZ
Higher glyphosate exposure during midpregnancy was associated with an increased risk for spontaneous preterm birth, highlighting a potentially vulnerable period during pregnancy.
According to a longitudinal cohort study published in Environmental Pollution, exposure to higher levels of the widely used herbicide glyphosate during the middle months of pregnancy was associated with an increased risk for spontaneous preterm birth. The association was observed only with midpregnancy exposure, suggesting that this stage of pregnancy may represent a critical window of susceptibility.
Researchers analyzed data from 1,450 pregnant women enrolled in the Children’s Health and Environment Study, who delivered at NYU Langone-affiliated hospitals in New York City between 2016 and 2019. Urine samples were collected during early pregnancy (4-17 weeks) and again during midpregnancy (18-25 weeks) to measure glyphosate concentrations. Medical records were reviewed to determine gestational age at delivery and classify preterm births as spontaneous or medically indicated.
Women with higher urinary glyphosate levels during midpregnancy were more likely to experience spontaneous labor before 37 weeks of gestation than those with lower exposure. However, glyphosate concentrations measured during early pregnancy were not associated with preterm birth. No relationship was observed between glyphosate exposure and medically indicated preterm deliveries resulting from conditions such as preeclampsia or fetal growth restriction.
