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Note: This study found no significant biological effects under its experimental conditions. We include all studies for scientific completeness.

Reproductive Health

Histological and Cytological Examination of Rat Reproductive Tissue After Short-Time Intermittent Radiofrequency Exposure / HISTOLOŠKA I CITOLOŠKA ISTRAŽIVANJA TKIVA REPRODUKTIVNOG SUSTAVA ŠTAKORA NAKON KRATKOTRAJNE ISPREKIDANE IZLOŽENOSTI RADIOFREKVENCIJSKOM ZRAČENJU.

No Effects Found

Trošić I, Mataušić-Pišl M, Pavičić I, Marjanović AM. · 2013

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Two weeks of daily RF exposure at cell phone-like levels showed no immediate reproductive harm in rats, but longer-term effects remain unclear.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers exposed male rats to 915 MHz radiofrequency radiation (similar to cell phone frequencies) for one hour daily over two weeks to study effects on reproductive health. They found no significant changes in testicular structure, sperm count, sperm mobility, or sperm appearance compared to unexposed rats. The study suggests that short-term intermittent RF exposure at these levels may not pose immediate risks to male reproductive function.

Why This Matters

This study adds to the mixed body of research on RF radiation and male fertility, finding no reproductive harm from two weeks of daily exposure at SAR levels of 0.6 W/kg. While the exposure duration was relatively short, the SAR level is comparable to what you might experience during extended cell phone calls held close to the body. However, this negative result should be viewed alongside numerous other studies that have found reproductive effects from RF exposure, including reduced sperm quality and motility. The reality is that reproductive health effects from EMF exposure often emerge over longer timeframes or with chronic exposure patterns that this two-week study couldn't capture. What this means for you is that while short-term exposure may not show immediate measurable harm, the broader scientific literature still raises legitimate concerns about long-term reproductive health effects from chronic RF exposure.

Exposure Details

SAR
0.6 W/kg
Power Density
0.24 mW/cm²
Source/Device
915 MHz

Exposure Context

This study used 0.24 mW/cm² for radio frequency:

This study used 0.6 W/kg for SAR (device absorption):

Building Biology guidelines are practitioner-based limits from real-world assessments. BioInitiative Report recommendations are based on peer-reviewed science. Check Your Exposure to compare your own measurements.

Where This Falls on the Concern Scale

Study Exposure Level in ContextStudy Exposure Level in ContextThis study: 0.24 mW/cm²Extreme Concern - 1,000 µW/m²FCC Limit - 10M µW/m²Effects observed in the Extreme Concern range (Building Biology)FCC limit is 4 times higher than this level
A logarithmic frequency spectrum from 10 Hz to 100 GHz showing where this study's 915 MHz exposure sits relative to common EMF sources.Where This Frequency Sits on the EMF SpectrumELFVLFLF / MFHF / VHFUHFSHFmm10 Hz100 GHzThis study: 915 MHzPower lines50/60 Hz5G mm28 GHzLogarithmic scale

Study Details

To establish the potentially adverse effects of everyday exposure to radiofrequency radiation (RF) on humans, we performed a controlled animal study that aimed to investigate the influence of RF radiation on rat testis histology as well as the amount, mobility, and structure of epididymal free sperm cell population.

Eighteen adult male rats were divided into two groups of nine. One group comprised sham-exposed cont...

No statistically significant alteration in any of the endpoints was observed. This study found no ev...

Based on these results, we can conclude that short-time intermittent exposure to RF radiation does not represent a significant risk factor for rat reproductive functions.

Cite This Study
Trošić I, Mataušić-Pišl M, Pavičić I, Marjanović AM. (2013). Histological and Cytological Examination of Rat Reproductive Tissue After Short-Time Intermittent Radiofrequency Exposure / HISTOLOŠKA I CITOLOŠKA ISTRAŽIVANJA TKIVA REPRODUKTIVNOG SUSTAVA ŠTAKORA NAKON KRATKOTRAJNE ISPREKIDANE IZLOŽENOSTI RADIOFREKVENCIJSKOM ZRAČENJU. Arh Hig Rada Toksikol. 64(4):513-519, 2013. doi: 10.2478/10004-1254-64-2013-2394.
Show BibTeX
@article{i_2013_histological_and_cytological_examination_3448,
  author = {Trošić I and Mataušić-Pišl M and Pavičić I and Marjanović AM.},
  title = {Histological and Cytological Examination of Rat Reproductive Tissue After Short-Time Intermittent Radiofrequency Exposure / HISTOLOŠKA I CITOLOŠKA ISTRAŽIVANJA TKIVA REPRODUKTIVNOG SUSTAVA ŠTAKORA NAKON KRATKOTRAJNE ISPREKIDANE IZLOŽENOSTI RADIOFREKVENCIJSKOM ZRAČENJU.},
  year = {2013},
  
  url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24384757/},
}
PubMed: 24384757

Cited By (21 papers)

Quick Questions About This Study

A 2013 study found that 915 MHz radiofrequency radiation exposure for one hour daily over two weeks did not significantly affect rat sperm count, mobility, or appearance. Researchers observed no changes in testicular structure or function compared to unexposed rats.
Research on rats suggests short-term intermittent radiofrequency exposure may not pose immediate reproductive risks. A study using 915 MHz radiation for one hour daily over two weeks found no significant effects on testicular function or sperm parameters.
A two-week study using 915 MHz radiation for one hour daily found no reproductive effects in male rats. This suggests that short-term intermittent exposure at these frequencies may not immediately impact male fertility, though longer-term effects remain unstudied.
Researchers tested 915 MHz radiofrequency radiation, similar to cell phone frequencies, on male rats for reproductive safety. The study exposed rats for one hour daily over two weeks and found no significant changes in sperm or testicular parameters.
A study exposing male rats to 915 MHz radiation for one hour daily over two weeks found no damage to testicular tissue. Researchers observed no significant changes in testicular structure, sperm count, or sperm mobility compared to control groups.