By Jude Njoku

Mosquitoes are undoubtedly one greatest enemies of mankind especially in tropical climates and Nigeria is not an exception. The dry weather and blocked drainage channels may have aided the breeding of these mosquitoes in many urban centres especially the slummy neighbourhoods.

Although the government has gone ahead to distribute mosquito treated nets, the truth is that only a few homes use these safety materials. Most people who don’t make use of them, claim that mosquito nets generate heat and in a situation where electricity is a luxury, most people prefer to use insecticides.

This has resulted into the influx of many unregistered insecticides popularly called “otapiapia” in the Lagos area. But most users of these insecticides care little about their health implications, so long as they kill the mosquitoes.

Some people who spoke to Vanguard Homes & Property complained that most insecticides and aerosols have either lost their efficacy or the mosquitoes have developed immunity to them. It is now commonplace to see people using pesticides and other outdoor insecticides in their homes. What are the dangers and health implications of such usage, especially on pregnant women.

Pesticides and insecticides  according to the American Pregnancy Association, contain chemicals that are used to attack the nervous system of the insects and cause them to die. “During the first trimester of pregnancy, the nervous system is rapidly developing in your baby, so you definitely want to avoid any type of contact with pesticides during this time. The safest rule of thumb is that pregnant women should avoid pesticides whenever possible,” a report by the Association said.

A study by the California Birth Defects Monitoring Program observed that pregnant women exposed to household gardening pesticides had a modest risk increase for oral clefts, neural tube defects, heart defects, and limb defects. Women living within 1/4 mile of agricultural crops had the same modest risk increase for neural tube defects.

The Environmental Health Perspectives Journal (EHP) Volume 110 reports that children who are exposed to indoor pesticides are at an elevated risk of leukemia. EHP adds that the risk is increased during the first three months of pregnancy and when professional pest control services are used in the home.

According to the Journal, the safest plan is to avoid using pesticides or insecticides in your home, on your pets, or in the garden during pregnancy. Especially avoid them during the first trimester when the baby’s neural tube and nervous system are developing.

•    If there must be treatment to your home, your pet, or your garden for pesticides, follow these guidelines to decrease the likelihood of exposure:
•    Have someone else apply the pesticides
•    Leave the area for the amount of time indicated on the pesticide package
•    Remove food, dishes, and utensils from the area before the pesticide is used
•    Wash the area where food is normally prepared following any application of pesticides in the home
•    Open the windows and allow the house to ventilate after the treatment is completed
•    Wear protective clothing when gardening to prevent contact with plants that have pesticide on them
•