RF Safe

Comments on "Association of excessive mobile phone use during pregnancy with birth weight: an adjunct study in Kumamoto of Japan Environment and Children's Study".

Environmental health and preventive medicine · 2017 · Unclear · Insufficient evidence

← Research stream
UnclearInsufficient evidencePaper 4899

This comment argues that Lu et al.'s study has shortcomings and cannot answer whether ordinary mobile phone use during pregnancy can lead to low birth weight. It notes that Mortazavi et al. previously reported no statistically significant differences in mean …

Study snapshot

PublicationEnvironmental health and preventive medicine · 2017
Study typeother
Reported directionUnclear
Evidence ratingInsufficient

Abstract

We have read with interest the article by Lu et al. entitled "Association of excessive mobile phone use during pregnancy with birth weight: an adjunct study in Kumamoto of Japan Environment and Children's Study" published recently in the Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine. Although this paper addresses a very challenging issue, it has some shortcomings. Mortazavi et al. have previously studied the effects of ionizing and non-ionizing radiation on birth weight of newborns and found no statistical significant differences between the mean weight of newborns whose mothers had been exposed to electromagnetic fields (EMF) generated by mobile phones and those of non-exposed mothers. The study performed by Lu et al. cannot answer this very key question that whether ordinary use of mobile phone during pregnancy can lead to low birth weight. The origin of the controversy between the findings of these two studies and the shortcomings of the article by Lu et al. are discussed.

Machine Enhanced Logic

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 typeother
Effect directionunclear
Populationpregnant women and newborns (birth weight outcome)
Sample sizeNot supplied
ExposureRF · during pregnancy (ordinary vs excessive use mentioned)
Evidence strengthInsufficientConfidence: 66% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

This comment argues that Lu et al.'s study has shortcomings and cannot answer whether ordinary mobile phone use during pregnancy can lead to low birth weight. It notes that Mortazavi et al. previously reported no statistically significant differences in mean birth weight between newborns of mothers exposed to mobile-phone-generated EMF and those of non-exposed mothers.

Outcomes measured

  • birth weight
  • low birth weight

Limitations

  • Letter/comment rather than original empirical study
  • No quantitative results or sample size provided in the abstract
  • Discusses prior studies without providing methodological details in the abstract
View raw extracted JSON
{
  "study_type": "other",
  "exposure": {
    "band": "RF",
    "source": "mobile phone",
    "frequency_mhz": null,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": "during pregnancy (ordinary vs excessive use mentioned)"
  },
  "population": "pregnant women and newborns (birth weight outcome)",
  "sample_size": null,
  "outcomes": [
    "birth weight",
    "low birth weight"
  ],
  "main_findings": "This comment argues that Lu et al.'s study has shortcomings and cannot answer whether ordinary mobile phone use during pregnancy can lead to low birth weight. It notes that Mortazavi et al. previously reported no statistically significant differences in mean birth weight between newborns of mothers exposed to mobile-phone-generated EMF and those of non-exposed mothers.",
  "effect_direction": "unclear",
  "limitations": [
    "Letter/comment rather than original empirical study",
    "No quantitative results or sample size provided in the abstract",
    "Discusses prior studies without providing methodological details in the abstract"
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "insufficient",
  "confidence": 0.66,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
  "keywords": [
    "mobile phone",
    "pregnancy",
    "electromagnetic fields",
    "non-ionizing radiation",
    "birth weight",
    "low birth weight",
    "commentary"
  ],
  "suggested_hubs": [
    {
      "slug": "who-icnirp",
      "weight": 0.2,
      "reason": "Discusses health effects of mobile phone EMF; general relevance to RF exposure health evidence debates."
    }
  ]
}
AI can be wrong. Always verify against the paper.

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: 10.1186/s12199-017-0674-z
PubMed: 29165158

Read the original paper →

Related papers

← Back to the Research Library