Epidemiological study (observational study)

Correlation between exposure to magnetic fields and embryonic development in the first trimester epidem.

By: Su XJ, Yuan W, Tan H, Liu XY, Li D, Li DK, Huang GY, Zhang LW, Miao MH

Published in: PLoS One 2014; 9 (6): e101050

Aim of study (acc. to author)

A cross-sectional study was conducted in China to investigate the association between maternal magnetic field exposure during pregnancy and embryonic development in the first trimester.

Endpoint/type of risk estimation

embryonic development: length, width, and height of the embryonic sac and the length of the embryonic bud, apoptosis in decidua

Type of risk estimation:

prevalence

Exposure

- 40 Hz–1 kHz
- 50/60 Hz
- magnetic field
- intermediate frequency
- personal

Assessment

Type of assessment: Group
questionnaire: use of electrical appliances
measurement: participants carried the measurement device at the waist during a typical day and placed it next to their beds during sleep, 24 h measurement, rating of representativeness of their activity patterns in the measurement period compared to a typical day during the index pregnancy
calculation: time-weighted average of the 24 h measurements

Exposure groups

Group	Description
Reference group 1	daily exposure to magnetic field: < 0.082 µT (3rd quartile)
Group 2	daily exposure to magnetic field: ≥ 0.082 µT (3rd quartile)

Population

Group:
- women
- children in utero
Age: 18–35 years
Characteristics: pregnant women seeking induced abortion due to unwanted pregnancy
Observation period: 2009 - 2010
Study location: China (Shanghai)
Exclusion criteria: chronic diseases, diseases of the reproductive system, less than 12 weeks of gestation and abortion due to medical reasons, not willing to wear a magnetic field meter for 24 h

Study size

Type	Value
Total	437
Participants	149
Evaluable	130

Other:

19 women excluded because they reported poor representativeness during measurement

Statistical analysis method:

linear regression
logistic regression

(adjustment:

age
education
gestational age

)

Results (acc. to author)

Embryonic bud length decreased with increasing maternal daily magnetic field exposure level; the correlation was statistically significant at the time-weighted-average and 3rd quartile of exposure levels, but not with median. Women with a daily exposure to magnetic fields ≥ 0.082 µT had a higher 3.95-fold risk of having a fetus with a shorter embryonic bud length than those women with exposure < 0.082 µT (OR 3.95, CI 1.10-14.20). No correlations between magnetic field exposure and embryonic sac length and histological changes in the first trimester were found.
The authors conclude that prenatal magnetic field exposure may have an adverse effect on embryonic development.

Study funded by

National Basic Research Program (Program 973), China

Comments on this article

PLOS ONE Staff (2014): Correction: Correlation between Exposure to Magnetic Fields and Embryonic Development in the First Trimester

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