A rise in pesticides has been linked to a surge in infant deaths, study finds

A rise in pesticides has been linked to a surge in infant deaths, study finds READ MORE: US has the highest rate of child deaths among 16 richest countries By Emily Joshu Health Reporter For Dailymail.Com Published: 16:35, 16 September 2024 | Updated: 16:49, 16 September 2024 e-mail View comments Thousands of infant deaths have been linked to the rise of pesticide use on common crops. Researchers at the University of Chicago found farmers have upped their use of chemical pesticides to protect their crops from insects, as the number of pests who are feeding on their produce has increased.

As farmers used more pesticides on their crops, the infant mortality rate rose by nearly eight percent, adding up to an additional 1,334 baby deaths. For every one percent increase in pesticide use, there was a 0.25 percent increase in the infant mortality rate.

Behind the rise in insects - researchers discovered - is the accelerated decline of the bat population due to white-nose syndrome, a fungal disease that kills more than one million bats every year in North America. The researchers found that for every one percent increase in pesticide use, there was a 0.25 percent increase in the infant mortality rate Your browser does not support iframes.

Farmers have long relied on the winged animals as natural pesticides because they eat at least 40 percent of their body weight in insects each night, meaning with less bats, there are swarms of more insects that prompt the use of pesticides. The res.