Pregnant women should avoid cell phones
Aug 15, 2008
WOMEN who use mobile phones a lot while pregnant, risk having babies with abnormality or psychological problems, a Danish research has revealed.
WOMEN who use mobile phones a lot while pregnant, risk having babies with abnormality or psychological problems, a Danish research has revealed.
A team of Danish scientists looked at a group of 13,159 children whose mothers were in their early pregnancies.
When the children were seven, their mothers were asked to fill in a questionnaire about their children’s behaviour and health, also giving details of her own use of cell phones during pregnancy and the child’s subsequent use of them.
The children whose mothers used phones were found to be 80% more likely to have abnormal or borderline scores on psychological tests.
Risks were higher for children exposed while still in the womb only, compared with those exposed after birth, but were lower than for children exposed at both times.
The findings “certainly shouldn’t be over interpreted, but nevertheless points in a direction where further research is needed,†said researcher Dr. Leeka Kheifets of the UCLA School of Public Health.
“Mobile phones are a wonderful technology but we need to look into the potential health effects and ways to reduce risks.â€
Kheifets advises that regardless of whether or not the risks were real, it would be safer if expectant mothers used a hands-free kit as much as possible or reduce on use of phones.
A team of Danish scientists looked at a group of 13,159 children whose mothers were in their early pregnancies.
When the children were seven, their mothers were asked to fill in a questionnaire about their children’s behaviour and health, also giving details of her own use of cell phones during pregnancy and the child’s subsequent use of them.
The children whose mothers used phones were found to be 80% more likely to have abnormal or borderline scores on psychological tests.
Risks were higher for children exposed while still in the womb only, compared with those exposed after birth, but were lower than for children exposed at both times.
The findings “certainly shouldn’t be over interpreted, but nevertheless points in a direction where further research is needed,†said researcher Dr. Leeka Kheifets of the UCLA School of Public Health.
“Mobile phones are a wonderful technology but we need to look into the potential health effects and ways to reduce risks.â€
Kheifets advises that regardless of whether or not the risks were real, it would be safer if expectant mothers used a hands-free kit as much as possible or reduce on use of phones.