Abstract

Overview

Fetal development is crucial, and this study focuses on understanding the exposure of twin fetuses to environmental magnetic and electromagnetic fields. With increasing twin birth rates, a comprehensive study was necessary due to the lack of models that could analyze twin fetal exposure effectively.

Findings

• Two whole-body pregnant models for 31 and 32 weeks of gestation (WG) with twin fetuses were developed.
• Several exposure scenarios were explored: 50-Hz uniform magnetic field, local 125-kHz magnetic field, 13.56-MHz electromagnetic field, and wideband planewave radiofrequency exposure from 20 to 6000 MHz.
• Twin fetuses showed higher exposure to the 50-Hz MF compared to singletons.
• Conversely, for RF scenarios especially in frequencies used for wireless communications, twin fetuses were underexposed compared to expectations.
• There was significant dosimetric variability which could impact safety assessments and guidelines considering their positioning and incident direction.

Conclusion

The study breaks new ground by using MRI to develop detailed models, assessing the conservative nature of international guidelines in significant exposure scenarios. The outcomes indicate the necessity for intricate anatomically correct models for twins at various stages of gestation for precise epidemiological analysis and safety protocols development.