Original Paper

Parathion, a Cholinesterase-Inhibiting Plaguicide Induces Changes in Tertiary Villi of Placenta of Women Exposed: A Scanning Electron Microscopy Study
Margarita Levario-Carrillo^a, Alfredo Feria-Velasco^b, Ruth De Celis^c, Ernesto Ramos-Martínez^d, Lucina Córdova-Fierro^e, Francisco J. Solís<sup>e

a</sup>Unidad de Investigación Médica en Epidemiología Clínica, Hospital Regional, IMSS, Chihuahua, Chih.;
^bPathology and Environmental Biotechnology Division, CIATEJ (SEP-CONACyT), Guadalajara, Jal.;
^cCentro de Investigación Biomédica de Occidente, IMSS, Guadalajara, Jal.;
^dDepartment of Pathology, Hospital Central Universitario, and
^eCell Biology Laboratory, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua, Chihuahua, Chih., Mexico

Address of Corresponding Author

Gynecol Obstet Invest 2001;52:269-275 (DOI: 10.1159/000052989)

  Key Words

• Placenta
• Tertiary villi
• Cholinesterase
• Scanning electron microscopy
• Parathion
• Pesticides

  Abstract

The objective of this work was to describe the anatomy of placentas from women who were at risk of exposure to parathion during their pregnancy, when examined with the light and scanning electron microscopes. Twenty term placentas were analyzed; 10 from women living in an agricultural area, who were at risk of exposure to parathion during their pregnancy, and 10 from women living in an urban area, not expressly exposed to pesticides. Each sample was examined with both light and scanning electron microscopes. Cholinesterase activity was significantly reduced in blood from women of the exposed group. In some placentas of women exposed to parathion, recent microinfarctions, microcalcifications and increased deposition of fibrinoid material were seen, along with a larger proportion of atypical characteristics of villi, such as bullous and balloon-like formations with nonhomogeneous surface, and other areas devoid of microvilli. These observations suggest that in chronic exposure to pesticides, the rate of atypical characteristics of placental villi increases, which could be related to changes in the fetus biology. In this study, one newborn from the exposed group showed intrauterine growth retardation and another one, some signs of hypoxia.

Copyright © 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel

  Author Contacts

Margarita Levario-Carrillo, MD, MSci
Unidad de Investigación Médica en Epidemiología Clínica
IMSS, Hospital General Regional No. 1, Piso 3
Av. Universidad y García Conde, S/N, 31000 Chihuahua, Chih. (Mexico)
Tel. +52 14 13 0404, Fax +52 14 14 3156, E-Mail mlevario@mailcity.com

  Article Information

Received: Received: February 2, 2001
Revised and accepted: July 7, 2001
Number of Print Pages : 7
Number of Figures : 4, Number of Tables : 2, Number of References : 27