Abstract

Overview

This study investigates the impact of exposure to intermediate-frequency electromagnetic fields (IF-EMFs), emitted by induction heating (IH) cookers, on various birth outcomes during pregnancy.

Findings

• Utilized data from a prebirth cohort study in Japan, involving 1,565 mothers and their babies.
• Adjusted factors included maternal age, residency, familial structure, and lifestyle habits among others.
• An independent association was found between the use of IH cookers and a reduced risk of preterm birth (PTB).
• No link was observed between IH usage and low birth weight (LBW), small-for-gestational-age (SGA), or overall birth weight.

Conclusion

This initial study reveals that use of induction heating cookers during pregnancy may be inversely associated with the risk of preterm birth, emphasizing a possible protective role against PTB. However, no significant associations were found concerning other birth weight metrics.