(NaturalNews) Using pesticides in the home may significantly increase women's risk of developing autoimmune disorders, according to a study conducted by researchers from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Rheumatology in Philadelphia.

Although the study was not set up to prove that insecticides directly caused the disorders, the researchers did control for all other known risk factors, and none appeared to play a role. "It's hard to envision what other factors might explain this association," lead researcher Christine Parks said.

In autoimmune diseases such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, the body's own immune system attacks some other part of the body. Previous research has shown that women exposed to agricultural pesticide use are at a higher risk of developing both rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. Women not living on farms, however, tend to be exposed to much lower doses of the chemicals, even if they use them in the home.

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