Can Prenatal and Postnatal Cell Phone Exposure Increase Adverse Maternal, Infant and Child Outcomes?

Abstract

Objective To determine the association between maternal mobile phone use and adverse outcomes in infants, children, and mothers.

Method In March 202, we conducted a search on the MEDLINE, Embase, and Scopus databases. Data extraction and an assessment of the quality of the studies were performed by two authors. The quality of the studies was assessed using the checklist of the Newcastle-Ottawa scale.

Results Studies assessing behavioral problems in infants aged 6 to 18 months reported null findings. However, an increased risk of emotional and behavioral disorders was observed in children aged between 7 and 11 years whose mothers had been exposed to cell phones. The findings regarding the association between maternal cell phone exposure and adverse outcomes in children aged 3 to 5 are controversial. A study found a significant association between the call time (p = 0.002) or the history of mobile phone use (in months) and speech disorders in the children (p = 0.003). However, another study found that maternal cell phone use during pregnancy was not significantly associated with child psychomotor and mental developments. Inconclusive results were observed about the adverse outcomes in fetuses, such as fetal growth restriction or t scores for birth weight in cell phone users as opposed to non-users. On the contrary, the children of mothers who were cell phone users had a lower risk of scoring low on motor skills. Similar results were observed regarding the adverse outcomes of cell phone use in infants, such as fetal growth restriction or low birth weight, and the risk of preeclampsia was lower among subjects with medium and high cell phone exposure, as opposed to those with low exposure.

Conclusion Studies on behavioral problems have reported different postnatal results, such as null findings among infants and a positive association in children.

Resumo

Objetivo Determinar a associação entre o uso de telefone celular pela mãe e os resultados adversos em recém-nascidos crianças e mães.

Método Em março de 2020 realizou-se uma pesquisa nas bases de dados MEDLINE, Embase e Scopus. A extração de dados e avaliação da qualidade dos estudos foram realizadas por dois autores. A qualidade dos estudos foi avaliada por meio da lista de verificação da escala Newcastle-Ottawa.

Resultados Estudos que avaliavam problemas comportamentais em recém-nascidos de 6 a 18 meses relataram resultados nulos. No entanto um risco aumentado de transtornos emocionais e comportamentais foi observado em crianças de 7 a 11 anos de idade cujas mães foram expostas a telefones celulares. Os resultados relacionados à associação entre a exposição materna a celulares e resultados adversos em crianças de 3 a 5 anos são controversos. Um estudo encontrou associação significativa entre o tempo de ligação (p = 0.002) ou o histórico de uso de celular (em meses) e distúrbios de fala nas crianças (p = 0.003). No entanto outro estudo descobriu que o uso de telefone celular pela mãe durante a gravidez não estava significativamente associado ao desenvolvimento psicomotor e mental da criança. Resultados inconclusivos foram observados com relação aos resultados adversos de fetos como restrição de crescimento intrauterino ou valores de t para peso ao nascer em usuárias de telefone celular em oposição a não usuárias. Pelo contrário os filhos de mães usuárias de telefone celular apresentaram menor risco de pontuação baixa em habilidades motoras. Resultados semelhantes foram observados com relação a resultados adversos em recém-nascidos como restrição de crescimento intrauterino ou valores de peso ao nascere o risco de pré-eclâmpsia foi menor em indivíduos com exposição média e alta a celulares em oposição àqueles com baixa exposição.

Conclusão Estudos sobre problemas comportamentais relataram resultados diferentes no pós-natal como achados nulos em recém-nascidos e associação positiva em crianças.

Keywords

cell phone - maternal outcome - infant outcomes

Palavras-chave

celular - resultado materno - resultados em crianças

Contributors

All authors participated in the concept and design of the study, as well as in the analysis and interpretation of data, draft or revision of the manuscript, and they have approved the manuscript as submitted. All authors are responsible for the reported research.

Publication History

Received: 16 December 2020

Accepted: 08 August 2021

Article published online:
06 December 2021

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