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Reproductive Health

Effects of gestational exposure to 1.95‐GHz W‐CDMA signals for IMT‐2000 cellular phones: Lack of embryotoxicity and teratogenicity in rats

No Effects Found

Ogawa K, Nabae K, Wang J, Wake K, Watanabe S, Kawabe M, Fujiwara O, Takahashi S, Ichihara T, Tamano S, Shirai T · 2009

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Pregnant rats exposed to 1.95-GHz W-CDMA signals for 90 minutes daily on gestational days 7–17 at brain SARs up to 2.0 W/kg showed no adverse reproductive or embryotoxic effects.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

The study exposed four groups of pregnant CD(SD) IGS rats to a 1.95-GHz W-CDMA signal for 90 minutes daily on gestational days 7–17, with spatial average brain SARs of 0.67 and 2.0 W/kg for low and high exposure groups. On gestational day 20, all dams were killed by cesarean section and fetuses were evaluated for numbers of live, dead, and resorbed embryos, placental weights, sex ratios, fetal weights, and external, visceral, and skeletal abnormalities. Maternal body weight gain did not differ between groups, and no adverse effects were observed on any reproductive or embryotoxic parameters.

Why This Matters

The study was designed to test whether gestational exposure to an electromagnetic field targeting the head, similar to that from cellular phones, could affect embryogenesis in rats. The experiment included both a control group and a sham exposure group.

Exposure Details

SAR
0.67,3.1,2,7,0.2,1.5,0.11 W/kg
Source/Device
1.95-GHz W-CDMA
Exposure Duration
90 min/day from day 7 to day 17 of gestation

Where This Falls on the Concern Scale

Study Exposure Level in ContextStudy Exposure Level in ContextThis study: 0.67,3.1,2,7,0.2,1.5,0.11 W/kgExtreme Concern - 0.1 W/kgFCC Limit - 1.6 W/kgEffects observed in the Extreme Concern range (Building Biology)FCC limit is 15 times higher than this level
A logarithmic frequency spectrum from 10 Hz to 100 GHz showing where this study's 1.95 GHz exposure sits relative to common EMF sources.Where This Frequency Sits on the EMF SpectrumELFVLFLF / MFHF / VHFUHFSHFmm10 Hz100 GHzThis study: 1.95 GHzPower lines50/60 Hz5G mm28 GHzLogarithmic scale

Study Details

The present study was designed to evaluate whether gestational exposure to an EMF targeting the head region, similar to that from cellular phones, might affect embryogenesis in rats.

A 1.95‐GHz wide‐band code division multiple access (W‐CDMA) signal, which is one applied for the Int...

There were no differences in maternal body weight gain. No adverse effects of EMF exposure were obse...

Cite This Study
Ogawa K, Nabae K, Wang J, Wake K, Watanabe S, Kawabe M, Fujiwara O, Takahashi S, Ichihara T, Tamano S, Shirai T (2009). Effects of gestational exposure to 1.95‐GHz W‐CDMA signals for IMT‐2000 cellular phones: Lack of embryotoxicity and teratogenicity in rats Bioelectromagnetics. 30(3):205-212, 2009.
Show BibTeX
@article{k_2009_effects_of_gestational_exposure_2790,
  author = {Ogawa K and Nabae K and Wang J and Wake K and Watanabe S and Kawabe M and Fujiwara O and Takahashi S and Ichihara T and Tamano S and Shirai T},
  title = {Effects of gestational exposure to 1.95‐GHz W‐CDMA signals for IMT‐2000 cellular phones: Lack of embryotoxicity and teratogenicity in rats},
  year = {2009},
  doi = {10.1002/bem.20456},
  url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/bem.20456},
}
DOI: 10.1002/bem.20456

Cited By (43 papers)

Quick Questions About This Study

Pregnant rats were exposed to a 1.95-GHz W-CDMA signal for 90 minutes daily on gestational days 7–17, with brain SARs of 0.67 and 2.0 W/kg for low and high exposure groups.
The researchers examined numbers of live, dead, and resorbed embryos, placental weights, sex ratios, fetal weights, and external, visceral, and skeletal abnormalities.
There were no differences in maternal body weight gain between the exposure groups.
No adverse effects of EMF exposure were observed on any reproductive or embryotoxic parameters.
The study included both a control group and a sham exposure group.