Medical/biological study (experimental study)

Effect of in utero wi-fi exposure on the pre- and postnatal development of rats med./bio.

By: Poulletier de Gannes F, Haro E, Hurtier A, Taxile M, Athane A, Ait-Aissa S, Masuda H, Percherancier Y, Ruffie G, Billaudel B, Dufour P, Veyret B, Lagroye I

Published in: Birth Defects Res B Dev Reprod Toxicol 2012; 95 (2): 130-136

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Aim of study (acc. to author)

To study the effects of in utero exposure to a 2450 MHz WiFi signal on pregnant rats and their pups.

Background/further details

Dams were divided into five groups (20 animals/group): cage control, sham exposure group and three different exposure groups (with SAR levels of 0.08, 0.4 and 4 W/kg). Five dams per group were sacrificed and five female fetuses were investigated on day 20 of pregnancy (one day before expected delivery). Additionally, 15 dams per group and their offspring were observed for 28 days after delivery.

Endpoint

effects on embryo/fetus: teratogenic effects (prenatal and postnatal development)

Exposure

- 2,450 MHz
- mobile communications
- digital mobile phone
- W-LAN/WiFi

Exposure	Parameters
Exposure 1: 2,450 MHz Exposure duration: 2 h/day, 6 days/week for 18 days	SAR: 0.08 W/kg average over mass (whole body) (corresponds to public limit for RF exposure) SAR: 0.4 W/kg average over mass (whole body) (corresponds to occupational limit for RF exposure) SAR: 4 W/kg average over mass (whole body) (corresponds to critical level)

General information

Female rats were randomly distributed into five groups with 20 animals per group.

Exposure 1

Main characteristics

Frequency	2,450 MHz
Type	electromagnetic field
Exposure duration	2 h/day, 6 days/week for 18 days

Exposure setup

Chamber	cubic reverberation chamber (150 x 150 x 150 cm)
Setup	six antennas (70 W) provided uniform exposure; cages were placed in a 40 x 40 x 40 cm³ volume at the center of the chamber
Sham exposure	A sham exposure was conducted.

Parameters

Measurand	Value	Type	Method	Mass	Remarks
SAR	0.08 W/kg	average over mass	-	whole body	corresponds to public limit for RF exposure
SAR	0.4 W/kg	average over mass	-	whole body	corresponds to occupational limit for RF exposure
SAR	4 W/kg	average over mass	-	whole body	corresponds to critical level

Additional parameter details

limits are suggested by ICNIRP

Reference articles

Wu T et al. (2010): Whole-body new-born and young rats' exposure assessment in a reverberating chamber operating at 2.4 GHz

Exposed system:

animal
rat/Wistar
whole body

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

effects on embryo/fetus: prenatal development (number of live/dead fetuses); postnatal development (delivery data (number of live/dead pups; pups with abnormalities, sex ratio), clinical examination, body weight, physical and functional development (e.g. startle reflex, surface righting reflex, negative geotaxis, hair growth, eye opening, pinna detachment))
effects on the reproductive system: number and location of early and late resorption sites; number and distribution of implantation sites
effects on dams: body weight, food consumption, clinical observation, mortality, morbidity, structural abnormalities or pathological changes, maternal behaviour

Investigated system:

fetuses
investigation on living organism

Time of investigation:

after exposure

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

For all experimental conditions, no abnormalities were noted in the pregnant rats and no significant signs of toxicity were observed in the prenatal and postnatal development of the pups, even at the highest level of 4 W/kg. In conclusion, no teratogenic effect of repeated exposures to the WiFi wireless communication signal was found.

Study character:

medical/biological study
experimental study
full/main study

Study funded by

Fondation Santé et Radiofréquences, France
National Research Agency (L'Agence nationale de la recherche, ANR), France

Othman H et al. (2017): Postnatal development and behavior effects of in-utero exposure of rats to radiofrequency waves emitted from conventional WiFi devices
Sangun O et al. (2015): The effects of long-term exposure to a 2450 MHz electromagnetic field on growth and pubertal development in female Wistar rats
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