In utero and early-life exposure of rats to a Wi-Fi signal: screening of immune markers in sera and gestational outcome.
Aït-Aïssa S, Billaudel B, Poulletier de Gannes F, Ruffié G, Duleu S, Hurtier A, Haro E, Taxile M, Athané A, Geffard M, Wu T, Wiart J, Bodet D, Veyret B, Lagroye I. · 2012
View Original AbstractWi-Fi exposure during pregnancy and early life showed no immune or developmental effects in rats, even at levels 200 times higher than typical human exposure.
Plain English Summary
French researchers exposed pregnant rats and their newborn pups to Wi-Fi signals (2.45 GHz) for two hours daily during pregnancy and early life, then tested the young rats' blood for immune system markers and signs of developmental problems. They found no changes in immune responses or reproductive development at any exposure level tested, including levels much higher than typical human exposure to Wi-Fi.
Why This Matters
This study represents one of the more comprehensive examinations of Wi-Fi exposure during critical developmental windows, testing both immune function and reproductive development in rats exposed from conception through early life. The researchers used exposure levels ranging from 0.08 to 4 W/kg, with the highest level being roughly 200 times greater than typical human Wi-Fi exposure. While the lack of observed effects might seem reassuring, this single study cannot definitively establish Wi-Fi safety during development. The reality is that immune system effects from EMF exposure often manifest differently across studies, and the 15 immune markers tested here represent just a fraction of possible immune responses. What this means for you is that while this research doesn't raise immediate red flags about Wi-Fi and pregnancy, the broader body of EMF research suggests continued caution is warranted, especially during vulnerable developmental periods.
Exposure Details
- SAR
- 0, 0.08, 0.4, and 4 W/kg
- Source/Device
- 2.45 GHz
- Exposure Duration
- 2 h/day and 5 days/week
Where This Falls on the Concern Scale
Study Details
An experimental approach was used to assess immunological biomarkers in the sera of young rats exposed in utero and postnatal to non-ionizing radiofrequency fields.
Pregnant rats were exposed free-running, 2 h/day and 5 days/week to a 2.45 GHz Wi-Fi signal in a rev...
No change in humoral response of young pups was observed, regardless of the types of biomarker and S...
Under these experimental conditions, our observations suggest a lack of adverse effects of Wi-Fi exposure on delivery and general condition of the animals.
Show BibTeX
@article{s_2012_in_utero_and_earlylife_798,
author = {Aït-Aïssa S and Billaudel B and Poulletier de Gannes F and Ruffié G and Duleu S and Hurtier A and Haro E and Taxile M and Athané A and Geffard M and Wu T and Wiart J and Bodet D and Veyret B and Lagroye I.},
title = {In utero and early-life exposure of rats to a Wi-Fi signal: screening of immune markers in sera and gestational outcome.},
year = {2012},
url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22228576/},
}