Pregnant? You Might Want to Ditch the Cell Phone.
May 21, 2008 by Liz Lewis
Filed under Children, Health, Misc., Morning News, Prevention
New research indicates that pregnant women using mobile phones possibly have an increased risk of giving birth to children with behavioural problems.
The study, based on questioning the mothers of over 13,000 children born in the late 1990s, found that…
“… mothers who did use the handsets were 54 per cent more likely to have children with behavioural problems and that the likelihood increased with the amount of potential exposure to the radiation. And when the children also later used the phones they were, overall, 80 per cent more likely to suffer from difficulties with behaviour. They were 25 per cent more at risk from emotional problems, 34 per cent more likely to suffer from difficulties relating to their peers, 35 per cent more likely to be hyperactive, and 49 per cent more prone to problems with conduct.”
These results were unexpected and took the scientists by surprise. Three and a half years ago, UCLA’s Professor Leeka Kheifets, one of the lead scientists on this study, had written that studies “…to date give no consistent evidence of a causal relationship between exposure to radiofrequency fields and any adverse health effect”.
But the authors of this study acknowledge many other variables – diet, smoking, family mental history – at play that could just as easily suggest reasons for the children’s behavioral problems.
They also acknowledge that there is a strong possibility that the children’s behavioral problems have less to do with the radio frequency fields and more to do with the fact that mothers who are constantly on the cell phone pay less attention to their children, causing them to ‘act out’.
But while the fndings from this new study are not conclusive, it has brought into focus yet again the question “are cell phones hazardous to our health”?
Further reading:
Do Cell Phones Harm Unborn Babies?
I tend to think its the:
“children’s behavioral problems have less to do with the radio frequency fields and more to do with the fact that mothers who are constantly on the cell phone pay less attention to their children, causing them to ‘act out’”
Do you think this also might have something to do with the rise in Autism?
Hi Trisha, you’re probably right there…no one can really do two things well at one time — talking on the phone detracts from the time you spend with kids…less phone time, more kid attention time might well = less ‘acting out’.
Hi Patti, interesting question and one I don’t know the answer too — wonder if anyone has dne a study on this at all — might have to google it…
Another great post by your team. Just wanted you to know that this was nominated for a Scrubby at RedScrubs.com and you were a runner up. Please keep up the great work.
Hi Dr Incognito, thanks for the heads up…