Study type: Epidemiological study (observational study)

Prenatal exposure to cell phone use and neurodevelopment at 14 months epidem.

Published in: Epidemiology 2010; 21 (2): 259-262

Aim of study (acc. to author)

The relationship between the use of mobile phones during pregnancy and the mental as well as the psychomotor development of the child at 14 months of age was investigated in a cohort study in Spain.

Further details

Exposure to cell phones was assessed by questionnaires which mothers completed in the week 32 of the pregnancy.

Endpoint/type of risk estimation

Exposure

Assessment

Exposure groups

Group Description
Reference group 1 cell phone use: none
Reference group 2 cell phone use: 1 call/day
Group 3 cell phone use: 2-4 calls/day
Group 4 cell phone use: ≥ 5 calls/day

Population

Study size

Type Value
Eligible 1,099
Participants 657
Participation rate 60 %
Evaluable 530
Other:

follow-up at age of 14 months

Statistical analysis method: (adjustment: )

Results (acc. to author)

11 % of the mothers reported not using a cell phone, 31 % reported one call per day, 45 % between two and four calls per day, and 13 % five calls or more per day. Only small differences in neurodevelopment scores between the children of cell phone users and nonusers were found. There was no trend with the amount of cell phone use within the users.
The authors concluded that the study gave little evidence for an adverse effect of maternal cell phone use during pregnancy on the early neurodevelopment of the offspring.

Study funded by

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