Impairment of Oogenesis and Folliculogenesis in Neonatal Rats after Maternal Exposure to Mobile Phones

Abstract

Category: Reproductive Toxicology Tags: EMF exposure, infertility, mobile phones, ovarian follicles, maternal exposure, neonatal rats, apoptosis DOI: 10.1007/s43032-025-01880-0 URL: link.springer.com Overview Today's lifestyle has led to an increase in infertility. This study investigates how cell phone radiation affects oogenesis, folliculogenesis, and the gestational stage in rats. The research further examines the impact of this exposure on neonatal ovarian hormones and ovarian development during gestation. - 54 virgin female Wistar rats divided into three groups: study group (conversation and standby mode, n = 24), control group (standby mode, n = 24), and sham (turned off, n = 6). - Study and control groups further split into 4 subgroups based on gestational stage: early (1st week), mid (2nd week), late (3rd week), and all stages (3 weeks). Findings - Significant decreases found in plasma estrogen and progesterone, ovarian primordial follicle/primary oocyte counts, number of primordial follicles, and nuclei diameters in both study and control subgroups compared to sham. - The most marked reduction appeared in rats exposed for a prolonged period during pregnancy. - Apoptosis (cell death) of primordial follicles was markedly increased in study subgroups compared to control and sham groups. - Cell phone exposure during pregnancy had significant effects in all gestational stages, notably during the first week, which is a new finding. - Exposure seemed to decrease ovarian hormone secretion, harm oogenesis, and increase follicular apoptosis. Conclusion Cell phone radiation exposure led to a decrease in both the number and diameter of primordial follicles, the size of primary oocytes and their nuclei, and amounts of estrogen and progesterone in neonatal rats, with effects dependent on exposure duration. There was also an increase in apoptosis and a reduction in ovarian diameter. The study is the first to report mobile phone impacts across various pregnancy weeks and indicates notable effects in early gestation. While conducted in a rat model, the findings raise concern about risks to fetal fertility from maternal mobile phone exposure, supporting the need for more research—especially in non-human primates—to confirm the EMF-infertility link.

AI evidence extraction

Main findings

Compared with sham (phone turned off), both exposed groups (conversation+standby and standby) showed significant decreases in neonatal plasma estrogen and progesterone and reductions in ovarian primordial follicle/primary oocyte measures (counts and diameters), with the most marked reductions after prolonged exposure across pregnancy. Apoptosis of primordial follicles was markedly increased in the conversation+standby subgroups compared with control (standby) and sham, and effects were reported across gestational stages including the first week.

Outcomes measured

• Plasma estrogen
• Plasma progesterone
• Ovarian primordial follicle/primary oocyte counts
• Number of primordial follicles
• Nuclei diameter
• Primary oocyte size/diameter
• Ovarian diameter
• Apoptosis of primordial follicles

Limitations

• Animal (rat) model; human relevance not established in abstract
• Exposure parameters such as frequency and SAR not reported in abstract
• Unequal group sizes (sham n=6 vs exposed groups n=24 each)
• Control group involved standby-mode exposure rather than no-exposure control

Suggested hubs

• mobile-phones (0.9)
  Maternal exposure to mobile phones (conversation/standby) assessed.
• rf-reproduction (0.85)
  Outcomes focus on oogenesis/folliculogenesis, ovarian hormones, and follicle apoptosis in offspring.

{
    "study_type": "animal",
    "exposure": {
        "band": "RF",
        "source": "mobile phone",
        "frequency_mhz": null,
        "sar_wkg": null,
        "duration": "Gestational exposure during early (1st week), mid (2nd week), late (3rd week), or all stages (3 weeks); study group included conversation and standby mode; control group standby mode; sham phone turned off"
    },
    "population": "Virgin female Wistar rats (maternal exposure) and neonatal rats (ovarian outcomes)",
    "sample_size": 54,
    "outcomes": [
        "Plasma estrogen",
        "Plasma progesterone",
        "Ovarian primordial follicle/primary oocyte counts",
        "Number of primordial follicles",
        "Nuclei diameter",
        "Primary oocyte size/diameter",
        "Ovarian diameter",
        "Apoptosis of primordial follicles"
    ],
    "main_findings": "Compared with sham (phone turned off), both exposed groups (conversation+standby and standby) showed significant decreases in neonatal plasma estrogen and progesterone and reductions in ovarian primordial follicle/primary oocyte measures (counts and diameters), with the most marked reductions after prolonged exposure across pregnancy. Apoptosis of primordial follicles was markedly increased in the conversation+standby subgroups compared with control (standby) and sham, and effects were reported across gestational stages including the first week.",
    "effect_direction": "harm",
    "limitations": [
        "Animal (rat) model; human relevance not established in abstract",
        "Exposure parameters such as frequency and SAR not reported in abstract",
        "Unequal group sizes (sham n=6 vs exposed groups n=24 each)",
        "Control group involved standby-mode exposure rather than no-exposure control"
    ],
    "evidence_strength": "low",
    "confidence": 0.7800000000000000266453525910037569701671600341796875,
    "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
    "keywords": [
        "reproductive toxicology",
        "mobile phone radiation",
        "maternal exposure",
        "gestation",
        "neonatal rats",
        "oogenesis",
        "folliculogenesis",
        "ovarian follicles",
        "estrogen",
        "progesterone",
        "apoptosis",
        "infertility"
    ],
    "suggested_hubs": [
        {
            "slug": "mobile-phones",
            "weight": 0.90000000000000002220446049250313080847263336181640625,
            "reason": "Maternal exposure to mobile phones (conversation/standby) assessed."
        },
        {
            "slug": "rf-reproduction",
            "weight": 0.84999999999999997779553950749686919152736663818359375,
            "reason": "Outcomes focus on oogenesis/folliculogenesis, ovarian hormones, and follicle apoptosis in offspring."
        }
    ]
}

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