Intrauterine effects in animals exposed to radiofrequency and microwave fields.

Abstract

The animal studies dealing with intrauterine exposure to radiofrequency (RF) fields have used only a few RF frequencies. More of the studies have used acute high exposures rather than low-level chronic exposures. Most studies have used considerably higher fields than are recommended for maximum permissible exposures for human occupational or environmental exposure. All studies in which effects have been observed have been above recommended maximum permissible exposure levels. Even at high levels, consistent morphological or organ abnormalities have not been reported. The most common observation at high exposures is a decrease in fetal mass which, by itself, may or may not have clinical importance. Research regarding teratogenic effects did not consistently produce effects that would lead investigators to suspect that RF exposure at or below the maximum permissible exposures to have embryopathic or teratogenic effects. Many other RF effects could be studied, but questions regarding teratogenic effects constitute one of the only areas in RF research that has been answered; namely, that RF exposure that have been studied present no teratogenic risk from exposures that do not exceed maximum permissible guidelines that are far below experimental teratogenic exposures to RF that have been reported.