The effects of electromagnetic fields on the number of ovarian primordial follicles: An experimental study.

The Kaohsiung journal of medical sciences · 2015 · Harm · Low evidence

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HarmLow evidencePaper 4772

Rats exposed to an EMF in the abdominal region for 15 min/day for 15 days had significantly fewer ovarian primordial follicles than controls. Mean total follicle number was 70.00 ± 19.03 in the exposed group versus 150.25 ± 49.53 in controls, with significant…

Study snapshot

PublicationThe Kaohsiung journal of medical sciences · 2015

Study typeanimal

Reported directionHarm

Evidence ratingLow

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of an electromagnetic field (EMF), generated close to the ovaries, on primordial follicles. A total of 16 rats were used in this study. The study group consisted of rats exposed to an EMF in the abdominal region for 15 min/d for 15 days. Both the study and control group were composed of eight rats. After the treatment period of 15 days, the ovaries of the rats were extracted, and sections of ovarian tissue were taken for histological evaluation. The independent samples t test was used to compare the two groups. In the study group, the means of the right and left ovarian follicle numbers were 34.00 ± 10.20 and 36.00 ± 10.53, respectively. The average total ovarian follicle number was 70.00 ± 19.03. In the control group, the means of the right and left ovarian follicle numbers were 78.50 ± 25.98 and 71.75 ± 29.66, respectively, and the average total ovarian follicle number was 150.25 ± 49.53. The comparisons of the means of the right and left ovarian follicle numbers and the means of the total ovarian follicle numbers between the study and control groups indicated that the study group had significantly fewer follicles (p < 0.001, p = 0.011, and p = 0.002, respectively). This study found a significant decrease in the number of ovarian follicles in rats exposed to an EMF. Further clinical studies are needed to reveal the effects of EMFs on ovarian reserve and infertility.

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AI evidence extraction

Structured fields below were generated from the paper’s abstract and metadata to make the evidence easier to inspect. Automated extraction may be incomplete or incorrect; verify important details against the original paper.

Study typeanimal

Effect directionharm

PopulationRats

Sample size16

Exposure15 min/day for 15 days (abdominal region; EMF generated close to ovaries)

Evidence strengthLowConfidence: 78% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

Outcomes measured

Number of ovarian primordial follicles (right ovary, left ovary, total)

Limitations

Small sample size (n=16; 8 per group)
EMF exposure characteristics (e.g., frequency, intensity/SAR) not reported in abstract
Animal study; clinical relevance to humans not established

View raw extracted JSON

{
  "study_type": "animal",
  "exposure": {
    "band": null,
    "source": null,
    "frequency_mhz": null,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": "15 min/day for 15 days (abdominal region; EMF generated close to ovaries)"
  },
  "population": "Rats",
  "sample_size": 16,
  "outcomes": [
    "Number of ovarian primordial follicles (right ovary, left ovary, total)"
  ],
  "main_findings": "Rats exposed to an EMF in the abdominal region for 15 min/day for 15 days had significantly fewer ovarian primordial follicles than controls. Mean total follicle number was 70.00 ± 19.03 in the exposed group versus 150.25 ± 49.53 in controls, with significant differences for right, left, and total counts (p < 0.001, p = 0.011, p = 0.002).",
  "effect_direction": "harm",
  "limitations": [
    "Small sample size (n=16; 8 per group)",
    "EMF exposure characteristics (e.g., frequency, intensity/SAR) not reported in abstract",
    "Animal study; clinical relevance to humans not established"
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "low",
  "confidence": 0.78,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
  "keywords": [
    "electromagnetic field",
    "EMF",
    "ovary",
    "ovarian reserve",
    "primordial follicles",
    "rat",
    "histology",
    "infertility"
  ],
  "suggested_hubs": []
}

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AI-extracted fields are generated from the abstract and metadata and may be incomplete or incorrect. This material is for informational purposes and is not medical advice.

Identifiers and source

DOI: 10.1016/j.kjms.2015.03.004
PubMed: 26043407

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