Mother's Exposure to Electromagnetic Fields before and during Pregnancy is Associated with Risk of Speech Problems in Offspring

Abstract

Overview

The rapid advancements in telecommunication technology have significantly increased mothers' exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMFs) either before or during pregnancy. This study investigates the possible association between such exposures and speech problems in their offspring.

Objective

The primary goal was to determine if exposure to common sources of RF-EMFs, before or during pregnancy, could be related to speech difficulties in children.

Materials and Methods

• A sample group including the mothers of 110 children aged three to seven with speech problems and 75 children from a healthy control group were interviewed regarding their exposure to EMF sources such as mobile phones, mobile base stations, Wi-Fi, cordless phones, laptops, and power lines.
• The study utilized the Chi square test to analyze differences between the control and exposed groups.

Findings

Significant associations were discovered between:

• The use of cordless phones and the occurrence of speech problems, both for exposures before pregnancy (P=0.005) and during pregnancy (P=0.014).
• Residing near power lines and the incidence of speech problems, again for both pre-pregnancy (P=0.003) and pregnancy periods (P=0.002).

However, no significant link was found between mobile phone use and speech issues or with other sources of non-ionizing radiation.

Conclusion

Despite certain limitations, the findings strongly suggest a connection between high levels of maternal EMF exposure and speech problems in their children, emphasizing the potential risks associated with electromagnetic field exposure during pregnancy.