A NEW STUDY SHOWS A LOWER THAN AVERAGE BIRTH WEIGHT OF BABIES BORN FROM MOTHERS EXPOSED TO A BANNED STRAWBERRY FUMIGANT. THE RESULTS FOUND THAT PREGNANT MOTHERS WHO LIVED WITHIN 3-MILES OF WHERE METHYL BROMIDE WAS USED, GAVE BIRTH TO BABIES WITH A LOWER BIRTH WEIGHT, BIRTH LENGTH AND HEAD CIRCUMFERENCE. THE STUDY WAS CONDUCTED OUT OF THE U.C. BERKELEY’S CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND CHILDREN’S HEALTH, AND TRACKED SALINAS VALLEY CHILDREN AND THEIR MOTHERS SINCE 2000. LOWER BIRTH WEIGHTS ARE REPORTEDLY ASSOCIATED WITH HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENTAL PROBLEMS FOUND LATER IN CHILDREN.
