Study Finds Link Between Glyphosate Exposure and Pregnancy Length

The latest research echoes earlier studies that found women exposed to the herbicide were more likely to have shorter pregnancies, which can increase babies' risk of long-term health problems.

"Glyphosate is unavoidable, it's even in rainwater," Chen said. " Shutterstock

Women exposed to the herbicide glyphosate were more likely to experience shorter pregnancies, according to a study published last week in the journal Environmental Research.

Glyphosate is the active ingredient in the widely used herbicide Roundup. Most research on the health effects of glyphosate has focused on workplace exposures — people who work in agriculture and as groundskeepers, for example—and on cancer outcomes. The new study joins a small but growing body of research in the United States exploring the health risks of glyphosate exposure during pregnancy.

Glyphosate Study Follows Several Others

Researchers tested urine samples from a racially and geographically diverse cohort of 163 pregnant women in California, Washington, Minnesota, and New York. They detected glyphosate in more than 94 percent of the samples and found an association between glyphosate exposure and shorter pregnancies.