A recent research has claimed that exposure to pesticides during pregnancy could lower the IQ of the unborn babies. The findings were based on the study of children of more than 400 women from Harlem, New York.

The results of the study found that higher levels of exposure to pesticides could adversely affect the IQ of kids till they reach the age of 7. Children in the study who had highest levels of prenatal pesticide exposure scored seven points less on a standardized measure of intelligence as compared to children who had the lowest levels of exposure.

Brenda Eskenazi, Professor of Maternal and Child Health at University of California, Berkeley said that the exposure to pesticides could have a significant impact on the IQ of babies. Organophosphates were considered as the most harmful pesticide by the researchers, which are commonly used on crops in Britain.

Georgina Downs, of the UK Pesticides Campaign, said that organophosphates can cause serious neurological and cognitive impacts on humans. These micro-organisms are toxic for brain.

Experts have advised the pregnant women to wash fruits and vegetables properly before eating to save their unborn babies from complications.