Effects of prenatal 900 MHz electromagnetic field exposures on the histology of rat kidney.
Ulubay M, Yahyazadeh A, Deniz OG, Kıvrak EG, Altunkaynak BZ, Erdem G, Kaplan S. · 2015
View Original AbstractPrenatal exposure to cell phone frequencies altered kidney development in rats, but natural supplements prevented the damage.
Plain English Summary
Researchers exposed pregnant rats to 900 MHz electromagnetic fields (the frequency used by older cell phones) and examined their offspring's kidneys at four weeks old. They found that prenatal EMF exposure caused the kidneys to grow abnormally larger while reducing the number of glomeruli (tiny filtering units essential for kidney function). Importantly, supplementing with melatonin or omega-3 fatty acids during pregnancy prevented these harmful effects.
Why This Matters
This research adds to growing evidence that prenatal EMF exposure can disrupt normal organ development, with effects that persist weeks after birth. The 900 MHz frequency studied matches older 2G cell phone technology, though modern devices operate at multiple frequencies including this range. What makes this study particularly significant is that it demonstrates measurable structural changes to a vital organ from prenatal exposure alone. The protective effects of melatonin and omega-3 supplements suggest these changes may involve oxidative stress pathways. While we can't directly extrapolate from rats to humans, this research reinforces the importance of minimizing EMF exposure during pregnancy, when developing organs are most vulnerable to environmental influences.
Exposure Information
Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.
Study Details
To research the harmful effects of prenatal exposure of 900 megahertz (MHz) electromagnetic field (EMF) on kidneys of four-week-old male rats and to determine protective effects of melatonin (MEL) and omega-3 (ω-3).
Twenty-one Wistar albino rats were randomly placed into seven groups as follows: Control (Cont), Sha...
Stereological results determined the mean volume of the kidneys and cortices were significantly incr...
Prenatal exposure of rat kidneys to 900 MHz EMF resulted in increased total kidney volume and decreased the numbers of glomeruli. Moreover, MEL and ω-3 prevented adverse effects of EMF on the kidneys.
Show BibTeX
@article{m_2015_effects_of_prenatal_900_1717,
author = {Ulubay M and Yahyazadeh A and Deniz OG and Kıvrak EG and Altunkaynak BZ and Erdem G and Kaplan S.},
title = {Effects of prenatal 900 MHz electromagnetic field exposures on the histology of rat kidney.},
year = {2015},
url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25084839/},
}