Study type: Epidemiological study

Prenatal exposure to extremely low frequency magnetic field and its impact on fetal growth epidem.

Published in: Environ Health 2019; 18: 6

Aim of study (acc. to author)

A prospective cohort study was conducted in China to examine the association between maternal exposure to extremely low frequency magnetic fields during pregnancy and fetal growth in offspring.

Endpoint/type of risk estimation

Exposure

Assessment

Exposure groups

Group Description
Reference group 1 time-weighted average: < 0.063 µT
Group 2 time-weighted average: > 0.063 µT
Reference group 3 Median: < 0.038 µT
Group 4 Median: > 0.038 µT
Reference group 5 75th percentile: < 0.063 µT
Group 6 75th percentile: > 0.063 µT

Population

Study size

Type Value
Contacted 250
Participants 140
Evaluable 128
Statistical analysis method: (adjustment: )

Results (acc. to author)

Compared with girls with lower prenatal exposure to extremely low frequency magnetic fields (reference groups), girls with higher exposure (groups 2, 4 and 6) had a lower birth weight, thinner skinfold of triceps, abdomen and back, and smaller circumference of head, upper arm and abdomen. The differences were statistically significant for birth weight and most other growth measurements. These measures had no significant difference between higher and lower prenatal exposure to extremely low frequency magnetic fields in boys except back skinfold thickness.
The authors concluded that prenatal exposure to higher extremely low frequency magnetic field levels was associated with decreased fetal growth in girls, but not in boys.

Study funded by

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