Biochemical and histopathological effects on the rat testis after exposure to electromagnetic field during fetal period.
Sehitoglu I, Tumkaya L, Kalkan Y, Bedir R, Cure MC, Zorba OU, Cure E, Yuce S · 2015
View Original AbstractCell phone radiation during pregnancy reduced testosterone by 13% in male offspring, suggesting prenatal EMF exposure may harm reproductive development.
Plain English Summary
Researchers exposed pregnant rats to 900 MHz cell phone radiation for 24 hours daily during pregnancy, then examined the reproductive health of their male offspring at 60 days old. The exposed rats had 13% lower testosterone levels, smaller testes, and increased cell death markers compared to unexposed controls. This suggests that cell phone radiation exposure during pregnancy may harm the developing reproductive system of male offspring.
Why This Matters
This study adds to growing evidence that EMF exposure during critical developmental windows can have lasting reproductive consequences. The researchers used 900 MHz radiation, the same frequency used by many cell phones, applied continuously throughout pregnancy. What makes this particularly concerning is that the effects weren't seen immediately but manifested weeks later in the offspring, suggesting that prenatal EMF exposure may program long-term reproductive dysfunction. The 13% reduction in testosterone levels is significant, as even modest hormonal changes can affect fertility, sexual development, and overall health. This research reinforces the importance of pregnant women minimizing their EMF exposure, particularly from devices held close to the body like cell phones.
Exposure Information
Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study. The study examined exposure from: 900 MHz Duration: 24 hours a day for 20 days
Study Details
Electromagnetic radiation (ER) emitted from cell phones may exert a detrimental influence on human health and may affect the man reproductive system. We aimed to study the biological and morphological effects on the testes of 60-day-old male rats after ER exposure (900 MHz), which was applied continuously throughout embryogenesis.
A total of six pregnant Sprague Dawley rats were included in the study. Three pregnant rats (experim...
While serum T level (3.51±0.21 ng/ml) of ER Exposed group was significantly lower than the control g...
Our study demonstrated that ER exposure throughout embryogenesis may cause reductions in serum total T levels and in the size and weight of the testes of male rats, while causing modest increase in apoptosis.
Show BibTeX
@article{i_2015_biochemical_and_histopathological_effects_2578,
author = {Sehitoglu I and Tumkaya L and Kalkan Y and Bedir R and Cure MC and Zorba OU and Cure E and Yuce S},
title = {Biochemical and histopathological effects on the rat testis after exposure to electromagnetic field during fetal period.},
year = {2015},
url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26179793/},
}