Can prenatal exposure to a 900 MHz electromagnetic field affect the morphology of the spleen and thymus, and alter biomarkers of oxidative damage in 21-day-old male rats?
Hancı H, Türedi S, Topal Z, Mercantepe T, Bozkurt I, Kaya H, Ersöz Ş, Ünal B, Odacı E. · 2015
View Original AbstractPrenatal cell phone radiation exposure damaged immune organs in rat offspring, suggesting pregnancy EMF exposure may compromise lifelong immune development.
Plain English Summary
Researchers exposed pregnant rats to 900 MHz cell phone radiation for one hour daily and examined the immune organs (spleen and thymus) of their male offspring at 21 days old. The prenatal radiation exposure caused significant oxidative damage and structural abnormalities in these critical immune system organs. This suggests that EMF exposure during pregnancy may compromise immune system development in offspring.
Why This Matters
This study adds to growing evidence that EMF exposure during critical developmental windows can have lasting biological consequences. The 900 MHz frequency matches GSM cell phone signals, making these findings directly relevant to everyday exposures pregnant women face from mobile devices. What's particularly concerning is that the damage occurred in the thymus and spleen, organs essential for proper immune function throughout life. The researchers found clear biochemical markers of oxidative stress alongside visible cellular damage under electron microscopy. This dual evidence strengthens the case that prenatal EMF exposure represents a genuine developmental risk. The reality is that pregnant women today carry phones in pockets, use laptops on their bellies, and live surrounded by wireless signals at levels that may exceed what these rat pups experienced in utero.
Exposure Information
Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study. The study examined exposure from: 900 MHz Duration: 1 h/day
Study Details
We investigated the effects of a 900 Megahertz (MHz) electromagnetic field (EMF), applied during the prenatal period, on the spleen and thymus of 21-day-old male rat pups.
Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into control and EMF groups. We applied 900 MHz EMF for 1 ...
Compared to the control group, thymus tissue malondialdehyde levels were significantly higher in the...
Exposure to 900 MHz EMF during the prenatal period can cause pathological and biochemical changes that may compromise the development of the male rat thymus and spleen.
Show BibTeX
@article{h_2015_can_prenatal_exposure_to_1643,
author = {Hancı H and Türedi S and Topal Z and Mercantepe T and Bozkurt I and Kaya H and Ersöz Ş and Ünal B and Odacı E.},
title = {Can prenatal exposure to a 900 MHz electromagnetic field affect the morphology of the spleen and thymus, and alter biomarkers of oxidative damage in 21-day-old male rats?},
year = {2015},
doi = {10.3109/10520295.2015.1042051},
url = {https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3109/10520295.2015.1042051},
}