title: Lack of adverse effects of whole-body exposure to a mobile telecommunication electromagnetic field on the rat fetus.
abstract: Abstract The recent steep increase in the number of users of cellular phones is resulting in marked increase of exposure of humans to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (EMFs). Children are of particular concern. Our goal was to evaluate potential adverse effects of long-term whole-body exposure to EMFs simulating those from base stations for cellular phone communication. Pregnant rats were given low, high or no exposure. At the high level, the average specific absorption rate (SAR)for the dams was 0.066-0.093 W/kg. The SAR for the fetuses and the F(1) progeny was 0.068-0.146 W/kg. At the low level, the SARs were about 43% of these. The 2.14 GHz signals were applied for 20 h per day during the gestation and lactation periods. No abnormal findings were observed in either the dams or the F(1) generation exposed to the EMF or in the F(2) offspring. Parameters evaluated included growth, gestational condition and organ weights for dams and survival rates, development, growth, physical and functional development, hormonal status, memory function and reproductive ability of the F(1) offspring (at 10 weeks of age) along with embryotoxicity and teratogenicity in the F(2) rats. Thus, under our experimental conditions, whole-body exposure to 2.14 GHz for 20 h per day during gestation and lactation did not cause any adverse effects on pregnancy or the development of rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Pathology and Tumor Biology, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan.
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Norio
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Imai
authors.forename: Kyoko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nabae
authors.forename: Kanako
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wake
authors.forename: Hiroki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kawai
authors.forename: Jianqing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: So-ichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Mayumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kawabe
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Fujiwara
authors.forename: Kumiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ogawa
authors.forename: Seiko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tamano
authors.forename: Tomoyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shirai
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D040421:Cell Phone; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D006801:Humans; D007774:Lactation / Q000528:radiation effects; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D011247:Pregnancy; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011846:Radio Waves / Q000009:adverse effects*; D051381:Rats; D012098:Reproduction / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D013997:Time Factors