Study type: Epidemiological study

Re-examining the association between residential exposure to magnetic fields from power lines and childhood asthma in the Danish National Birth Cohort epidem.

Published in: PLoS One 2017; 12 (5): e0177651

Aim of study (acc. to author)

The association between residential exposure to magnetic fields during pregnancy and childhood asthma was investigated in a cohort study in Denmark.

Further details

Asthma cases were identified using 3 independent data sources: mothers' reports, a national hospitalization registry and a national prescription drug registry. A definitive asthma case was a child who had an asthma diagnosis in all of the three data sources.

Endpoint/type of risk estimation

Type of risk estimation: (hazard ratio)

Exposure

Assessment

Exposure groups

Group Description
Reference group 1 magnetic field strength: no exposure
Group 2 magnetic field strength: 0.1 µT
Group 3 magnetic field strength: ≥ 0.2 µT

Population

Study size

Type Value
Total 92,675
Statistical analysis method: (adjustment: )

Results (acc. to author)

Among possible asthma cases, only 24 (0.12%) had mothers who were exposed to magnetic field strength of 0.2 µT or more during pregnancy and only 38 (0.19%) were exposed at any time during follow-up.
No differences or trends in the risk of asthma development were detected between children with different levels of MF exposure regardless of the asthma case definition or outcome data source.
The authors concluded that no evidence was found for an association between residential exposure to magnetic fields during pregnancy or early childhood and the risk of childhood asthma.

Study funded by

Related articles