Pre- and post-natal exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields and neurodevelopment in children
- Autores: Laura Ellen Birks
- Directores de la Tesis: Martine Vrijheid (dir. tes.), Mónica Guxens Junyent (codir. tes.)
- Lectura: En la Universitat Pompeu Fabra ( España ) en 2018
- Idioma: español
- Tribunal Calificador de la Tesis: Hanan El Mourroun (presid.), Michelle C. Turner (secret.), Wout Joseph (voc.)
- Programa de doctorado: Programa de Doctorado en Biomedicina por la Universidad Pompeu Fabra
- Materias:
- Enlaces
- Tesis en acceso abierto en: TDX
- Resumen
With the recent evolution of mobile communication, there is a lack of understanding of increased radiofrequency (RF) exposure from these new technologies, especially among children. Little is known about the amount of RF exposure children experience day-to-day and its main sources. Furthermore, there is little understanding of RF dose during fetal life or RF dose to the brain during childhood.
This thesis assessed environmental RF exposure and RF brain and body dose in children in several large, population-based cohort studies through personal exposure measurement studies and integrated exposure models. This thesis also evaluated whether maternal mobile phone use during pregnancy or RF dose to the brain in childhood was associated with neurodevelopmental outcomes, specifically, behavioral problems.
In Europe, measured environmental RF in children and estimated dose to children’s brains was found to be far below recommended limits. Maternal mobile phone use during pregnancy was associated with hyperactivity/inattention problems in young children (ages 5-7) while RF dose to the brain during childhood was associated with behavioral problems, particularly in older children (ages 14-18). Uncontrolled confounding, reverse causality, and effects of mobile device use, apart from RF dose to the brain, could not be entirely excluded as possible explanations for these results. In the meantime, pregnant women could reduce RF exposure to the fetus by keeping mobile devices away from the belly, while children can reduce RF dose by limiting calls, limiting high resolution video streaming, or keeping mobile devices away from the body.
