To study whether gestational exposure to an electromagnetic field targeting the head region, similar to that from cellular phones, might affect embryogenesis in rats.
The gestational period from day 7 to 17 is the most sensitive to developmental toxicologic factors in rats. Pregnant rats (n=20 per group) were studied in this period in four conditions: 1) high exposure, 2) low exposure, 3) control group, 4) sham exposure. All SAR levels were much lower than the level known to cause any thermal stress to pregnant rats or fetuses (in other studies teratogenic effects were evident only when the SAR levels were high enough to raise the maternal body temperature). The experimental design reflected the use of cellular phones by pregnant mothers.
| Exposure | Parameters |
|---|---|
|
Exposure 1:
1.95 GHz
Exposure duration:
90 min/day from day 7 to day 17 of gestation
|
|
| Frequency | 1.95 GHz |
|---|---|
| Type | |
| Exposure duration | 90 min/day from day 7 to day 17 of gestation |
| Additional info | rats were treated in four groups: i) control ii) low exposure iii) high exposure iv) sham exposure |
| Exposure source |
|
|---|---|
| Distance between exposed object and exposure source | 30 mm |
| Chamber | 90 cm x 90 cm x 60 cm exposure chamber; inside walls except for the ceiling covered with electromagnetic absorbers |
| Setup | rats placed in plastic tubular holders with a diameter of 6.5 cm mounted on a disk-like carrousel with a diameter of 65 cm; noses of the rats directed to the center; resonant 1/4 wavelenght monopole antenna suspended from the ceiling of the chamber |
| Sham exposure | A sham exposure was conducted. |
| Measurand | Value | Type | Method | Mass | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAR | 0.67 W/kg | spatial average | calculated | brain | for the low exposure group |
| SAR | 3.1 W/kg | peak value | calculated | brain | for the low exposure group |
| SAR | 2 W/kg | spatial average | calculated | brain | for the high exposure group |
| SAR | 7 W/kg | peak value | calculated | brain | for the high exposure group |
| SAR | 0.2 W/kg | spatial average | calculated | whole body | for the high exposure group |
| SAR | 1.5 W/kg | spatial average | calculated | brain | for the fetuses in the high exposure group |
| SAR | 0.11 W/kg | spatial average | calculated | whole body | for the fetuses in the high exposure group |
There were no differences in maternal body weight gain in all groups. No adverse effects of electromagnetic field exposure were observed on any reproductive and embryo-toxic parameters.
No clear adverse effects of maternal exposure to electromagnetic fields targeting the head area and embryogenesis were demonstrated.
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