I recently read about a mouse study completed by researchers at the Yale School of Medicine. According to the study, when pregnant mice were placed in direct contact with cell phones during the 19-day pregnancy, offspring showed signs of behavioral problems similar to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in humans. Most of the time animal studies of this nature are disregarded because there are so few connections between mouse pregnancies and human pregnancies, but this is not the first study to make a connection between cell phone use and behavioral problems in offspring.
In 2008, a study out of UCLA reported increased behavioral problems in children. Behavioral problems increased as cell phone use increased. While this study did use human subjects, it was a questionnaire study. Results relied upon reports given by mothers in regards to cell phone use and behavioral problems and there was no clear connection between radiation exposure levels and negative behavioral outcomes. However, the two studies bring the question to light – should I give up my cell phone during my pregnancy?
That question is hard to answers and neither of the studies I read gave clear recommendations for pregnant women. What we do know is that cell phones give off radiation at least some of that radiation is absorbed into the female body during pregnancy. The short-term, long-term and on-going effects of cell phone radiation exposure in regards to fetal and child health are the big unknown.
How do you feel about cell phone use during pregnancy? Are you one of those people who cannot live without her cell phone or could you leave it behind without a second thought?
Sources:
Tamir S. Aldad, Geliang Gan, Xiao-Bing Gao, Hugh S. Taylor. Yale University. 15 March, 2012.
Leeka Kheifets, et al. UCLA. May 2008 (Published in Epidemiology in July 2008)