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Pre- and perinatal exposure to pesticides is deleterious on foetal and neonatal development, but information regarding possible effects on environmental low-dose exposure to pesticides is scarce. Most epidemiological studies of the health effect of pesticides have been based on self-reported information. However, detailed information on past pesticide use is difficult to reconstruct. This is a current study conducted among pregnant mothers attending a delivery care and perinatal programme at a public hospital. The study investigates biomarkers of early effects in placentas from women living in an area with an intensive use of pesticides in the northern part of Patagonia, province of Río Negro, Argentina, and it assesses the consistency of the information provided by self-reports. The study confirms that placental acetylcholinesterase and catalase activities are significantly associated with periods of organophosphorus pesticides application, while glutathione S-transferase is not affected. We found a positive correlation between environmental exposure to organophosphorus pesticides and carbamate insecticides and newborn head circumference. The findings provide a further indication of a link between placenta acetylcholinesterase and catalase activity and prenatal exposure to pesticides in population studies. Both placenta enzymes may be used as biomarkers in health surveillance programmes for early diagnosis of exposure related alterations produced by organophosphorus pesticides and carbamate pesticides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]