During pregnancy an expecting mother should take of herself and her body with tremendous care. From the sleeping routine to eating routine to postures, all has to be taken care of, especially during the third trimester. Researchers have recently conducted an experiment where they had exposed pregnant mice to radiation from a cell phone according to a report by SciTechDaily.
The results were conclusive of the fact that fetal exposure to radio frequency from cell phones is really hard-hitting for the baby’s development of the brain. It could even lead to hyperactivity according to the new study by Yale School of Medicine’s researchers. This is an experiment which is first of its kind. The further details on the research study have been published in the March 15 issue of Scientific Reports, which is a Nature publication.
According to the senior author Dr. Hugh S. Taylor, who is also the professor and chief of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, the radiation from cellular telephones do affect adult behavior.
The experiment was conducted using muted and silenced cell phone which was kept just above the cage and were on active phone call during the whole session of the experiment. Similarly, another group of mice was kept under the same conditions, but with the phone deactivated.
The scientists were able to make their conclusion by measuring the brain electrical activity, which is a way to know what the brain is going through, what is its condition biologically. It makes easy to check the chemical balance of the brain by checking the electrical activity. The scientists conducted different psychological and behavioral tests on these pregnant mice under observation.
The mice were found to be hyperactive and had low memory. This is due to the development of neurons in the prefrontal cortex of the brain, which was affected and it results in Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The study found out that “the rise in behavioral disorders in human children may be in part due to fetal cellular telephone irradiation exposure.”
However, since the experiment was on mice, for understanding human mechanisms, it is better that further research be conducted. Since the pregnancies in mice last for about 19 days and the offspring have less-developed brain at birth. From the duration point of view and brain development at birth, human pregnancies are different.
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