Pregnant women using daily household electrical items could be at increased risk of their children developing asthma.
A study led by Dr. De-Kun Li, a reproductive and perinatal epidemiologist at the Kaiser Permanente in Oakland, California USA, claims that children of pregnant women who have been exposed to magnetic energy emnating from electrical items such as hair dryers, microwaves and vacuum cleaners have a greater risk of developing asthma.The study has been published in the online Journal - Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. It is the first to link maternal exposure to magnetic energy and asthma in children.
Previous Studies - There have been earlier studies that have linked exposure to magnetic energy (generated by common sources such as power lines and electrical appliances) to miscarriage, poor semen quality, immune disorders and cancer.
Various other studies pointed fingers at microwaves ovens, hair dryers and vacuum cleaners. However, these studies lacked consistency, as they required to be carried out over a long period of time.
Study Method:
For the recent prospective study, De-Kun Li and his group of researchers examined the daily magnetic field exposure of 801 pregnant women who resided in Northern California.
The scientists then analyzed the medical records (for 13 years) of the children born to these women, to check for asthma.
During their pregnancy the subjects wore on their person a small monitor for 24 hours to record their magnetic field exposure from daily household items such as microwaves, fans, coffee grinders, hair dryers, vacuum cleaners, and fluorescent light bulbs, transformer stations and power lines.
Observation :
"In this study we observed a dose-response relationship between mother's MF (Magnetic Field) level in pregnancy and the asthma risk in her offspring.In other words, a higher maternal MF exposure during pregnancy led to a higher risk in offspring." Dr De-Kun Li said.
According to Li, for the average population, children of women whose level of exposure was in the range of the bottom 10 percent would have approx. 13.6 percent absolute risk of developing asthma while women whose exposure was in the highest range carry a 33 percent risk of producing children who developed asthma during the 13-year study period.
Although Li said it is not very clear about the connection between exposure to power lines and asthma, he mentioned that prior studies by his team established a link between high exposure to electromagnetic fields and risk of miscarriages.
He also said that some animal studies indicated that electromagnetic field exposure can affect immune response, which could in turn predispose a person to asthma.
Recommendations :
Dr Li suggested that daily, wide- spread exposure to magnetic fields (such as through home appliances) caused a serious public health concern.
He recommended that pregnant women minimize their exposure to known magnetic field sources .
A study led by Dr. De-Kun Li, a reproductive and perinatal epidemiologist at the Kaiser Permanente in Oakland, California USA, claims that children of pregnant women who have been exposed to magnetic energy emnating from electrical items such as hair dryers, microwaves and vacuum cleaners have a greater risk of developing asthma.The study has been published in the online Journal - Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. It is the first to link maternal exposure to magnetic energy and asthma in children.
Previous Studies - There have been earlier studies that have linked exposure to magnetic energy (generated by common sources such as power lines and electrical appliances) to miscarriage, poor semen quality, immune disorders and cancer.
Various other studies pointed fingers at microwaves ovens, hair dryers and vacuum cleaners. However, these studies lacked consistency, as they required to be carried out over a long period of time.
Study Method:
For the recent prospective study, De-Kun Li and his group of researchers examined the daily magnetic field exposure of 801 pregnant women who resided in Northern California.
The scientists then analyzed the medical records (for 13 years) of the children born to these women, to check for asthma.
During their pregnancy the subjects wore on their person a small monitor for 24 hours to record their magnetic field exposure from daily household items such as microwaves, fans, coffee grinders, hair dryers, vacuum cleaners, and fluorescent light bulbs, transformer stations and power lines.
Observation :
"In this study we observed a dose-response relationship between mother's MF (Magnetic Field) level in pregnancy and the asthma risk in her offspring.In other words, a higher maternal MF exposure during pregnancy led to a higher risk in offspring." Dr De-Kun Li said.
According to Li, for the average population, children of women whose level of exposure was in the range of the bottom 10 percent would have approx. 13.6 percent absolute risk of developing asthma while women whose exposure was in the highest range carry a 33 percent risk of producing children who developed asthma during the 13-year study period.
Although Li said it is not very clear about the connection between exposure to power lines and asthma, he mentioned that prior studies by his team established a link between high exposure to electromagnetic fields and risk of miscarriages.
He also said that some animal studies indicated that electromagnetic field exposure can affect immune response, which could in turn predispose a person to asthma.
Recommendations :
Dr Li suggested that daily, wide- spread exposure to magnetic fields (such as through home appliances) caused a serious public health concern.
He recommended that pregnant women minimize their exposure to known magnetic field sources .
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