Effect of extremely low-frequency electromagnetic radiation on pregnancy outcome: A meta-analysis
Abstract
Effect of extremely low-frequency electromagnetic radiation on pregnancy outcome: A meta-analysis Zhou F, Ma C, Li Y, Zhang M, Liu W. The Effect of Extremely Low-Frequency Electromagnetic Radiation on Pregnancy Outcome: A Meta-Analysis. Ann Clin Case Rep. 2022; 7: 2326. Abstract Extremely low-frequency electromagnetic radiation (ELF-EMF) are generated by electrical devices and power systems (1 to 300 Hz). Although several studies have demonstrated that ELF-EMF may be associated with an increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes, other studies have shown no evidence of associations. This meta- analysis was conducted to assess the effect of extremely low frequency electromagnetic radiation on pregnancy outcomes. The following electronic bibliographic databases were searched to identify relevant studies: PubMed, Web Of Science, Cochrane library, Embase, EBSCO. In addition, the manual retrieval of relevant references was conducted as a supplement. Select all eligible studies published from Database construction library to March 10, 2021. Search type for queue research on influence of electromagnetic field radiation on pregnancy results. Data were screened and extracted independently by two researchers. Review Manager 5.3 software was used for the meta-analysis. There was no significant increase in the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, birth defects and preterm delivery in the pregnant women who lived near the electromagnetic fields compared with the control group. Conclusions: No correlation has been found between maternal ELF-EMF exposure and miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal birth defects and preterm delivery, while the effects on small gestational age and low birth weight are still uncertain. Related research with high-quality large samples and different regions are still needed for further verification. Open access paper: anncaserep.com
AI evidence extraction
Main findings
This meta-analysis reports no significant increase in risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, birth defects, or preterm delivery among pregnant women living near electromagnetic fields compared with controls. It concludes that effects on small for gestational age and low birth weight remain uncertain.
Outcomes measured
- Miscarriage
- Stillbirth
- Birth defects
- Preterm delivery
- Small for gestational age
- Low birth weight
Limitations
- Included studies and total sample size not described in the abstract
- Exposure assessment details (e.g., measurement methods, intensity, distance) not provided in the abstract
- Heterogeneity and risk-of-bias assessment not reported in the abstract
- Search end date is March 10, 2021; newer studies may not be included
Suggested hubs
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power-lines
(0.78) Focuses on ELF-EMF from power systems and residential proximity to electromagnetic fields.
View raw extracted JSON
{
"publication_year": 2022,
"study_type": "meta_analysis",
"exposure": {
"band": "ELF",
"source": "residential proximity to electromagnetic fields",
"frequency_mhz": null,
"sar_wkg": null,
"duration": null
},
"population": "Pregnant women (residential exposure context)",
"sample_size": null,
"outcomes": [
"Miscarriage",
"Stillbirth",
"Birth defects",
"Preterm delivery",
"Small for gestational age",
"Low birth weight"
],
"main_findings": "This meta-analysis reports no significant increase in risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, birth defects, or preterm delivery among pregnant women living near electromagnetic fields compared with controls. It concludes that effects on small for gestational age and low birth weight remain uncertain.",
"effect_direction": "mixed",
"limitations": [
"Included studies and total sample size not described in the abstract",
"Exposure assessment details (e.g., measurement methods, intensity, distance) not provided in the abstract",
"Heterogeneity and risk-of-bias assessment not reported in the abstract",
"Search end date is March 10, 2021; newer studies may not be included"
],
"evidence_strength": "high",
"confidence": 0.7399999999999999911182158029987476766109466552734375,
"peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
"stance": "reassurance",
"stance_confidence": 0.6999999999999999555910790149937383830547332763671875,
"summary": "This meta-analysis evaluated whether extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMF) are associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. Across included studies, it found no significant increase in miscarriage, stillbirth, birth defects, or preterm delivery among women living near electromagnetic fields versus controls. The authors note uncertainty remains for small for gestational age and low birth weight and call for larger, higher-quality studies.",
"key_points": [
"The paper is a meta-analysis of studies on ELF-EMF exposure and pregnancy outcomes.",
"Databases searched included PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Embase, and EBSCO, with manual reference checks.",
"The analysis reports no significant association with miscarriage, stillbirth, birth defects, or preterm delivery.",
"The authors state that evidence for small for gestational age and low birth weight is still uncertain.",
"Two researchers independently screened and extracted data according to the abstract.",
"The authors call for high-quality, large-sample research across different regions."
],
"categories": [
"ELF/Power Frequency",
"Pregnancy & Reproductive Outcomes",
"Epidemiology",
"Systematic Reviews & Meta-analyses"
],
"tags": [
"Extremely Low Frequency EMF",
"Power Frequency Fields",
"Pregnancy Outcomes",
"Miscarriage",
"Stillbirth",
"Birth Defects",
"Preterm Birth",
"Small for Gestational Age",
"Low Birth Weight",
"Residential Exposure",
"Meta-Analysis"
],
"keywords": [
"ELF-EMF",
"1 to 300 Hz",
"pregnancy outcome",
"miscarriage",
"stillbirth",
"birth defects",
"preterm delivery",
"small gestational age",
"low birth weight",
"meta-analysis"
],
"suggested_hubs": [
{
"slug": "power-lines",
"weight": 0.7800000000000000266453525910037569701671600341796875,
"reason": "Focuses on ELF-EMF from power systems and residential proximity to electromagnetic fields."
}
],
"social": {
"tweet": "Meta-analysis (search through Mar 10, 2021) reports no significant increase in miscarriage, stillbirth, birth defects, or preterm delivery among pregnant women living near ELF-EMF sources; effects on SGA and low birth weight remain uncertain.",
"facebook": "A 2022 meta-analysis of studies on extremely low-frequency EMF (from electrical devices/power systems) found no significant increase in miscarriage, stillbirth, birth defects, or preterm delivery among women living near electromagnetic fields. The authors note uncertainty remains for small-for-gestational-age and low birth weight and call for larger, higher-quality studies.",
"linkedin": "This 2022 meta-analysis reviewed studies on extremely low-frequency EMF exposure and pregnancy outcomes. It reports no significant association with miscarriage, stillbirth, birth defects, or preterm delivery for women living near electromagnetic fields, while evidence for small-for-gestational-age and low birth weight remains uncertain, highlighting the need for larger, higher-quality research."
}
}
AI can be wrong. Always verify against the paper.
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