RF radiation-induced changes in the prenatal development of mice.
Magras, IN, Xenos, TD · 1997
View Original AbstractMice exposed to extremely weak cell tower radiation experienced progressive fertility decline leading to complete infertility across multiple pregnancies.
Plain English Summary
Researchers exposed pregnant mice to radiofrequency radiation near cell tower antennas at extremely low power levels (168 to 1,053 nanowatts per square centimeter) and tracked their reproductive outcomes across multiple pregnancies. They found that RF exposure caused a progressive decline in litter sizes, ultimately leading to complete infertility, even though the surviving offspring appeared physically normal or even slightly larger than controls.
Why This Matters
This 1997 study provides compelling evidence that even extraordinarily weak RF radiation can severely impact reproductive function over time. The power densities measured here are thousands of times lower than current safety limits, yet they produced dramatic effects on fertility. What makes this research particularly significant is that it occurred in real-world conditions near actual cell towers, not in laboratory settings with artificial exposures. The progressive nature of the fertility decline suggests cumulative damage that worsens with continued exposure. While the study is older, it anticipated concerns that have only grown more relevant as wireless infrastructure has dramatically expanded. The fact that surviving offspring appeared normal while fertility crashed indicates that reproductive effects may be among the most sensitive indicators of RF biological impact.
Exposure Details
- Power Density
- 0.000168, 0.001053 µW/m²
Exposure Context
This study used 0.000168, 0.001053 µW/m² for radio frequency:
- 16.8Kx above the Building Biology guideline of 0.1 μW/m²
- 280x above the BioInitiative Report recommendation of 0.0006 μW/cm²
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 Details
The possible effects of radiofrequency (RF) radiation on prenatal development has been investigated in mice
This study consisted of RF level measurements and in vivo experiments at several places around an "a...
A progressive decrease in the number of newborns per dam was observed, which ended in irreversible i...
Show BibTeX
@article{magras_1997_rf_radiationinduced_changes_in_1171,
author = {Magras and IN and Xenos and TD},
title = {RF radiation-induced changes in the prenatal development of mice.},
year = {1997},
url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/(SICI)1521-186X(1997)18:6%3C455::AID-BEM8%3E3.0.CO;2-1},
}