Epidemiological study (observational study)

Prenatal cell phone use and developmental milestone delays among infants epidem.

By: Divan HA, Kheifets L, Olsen J

Published in: Scand J Work Environ Health 2011; 37 (4): 341-348

Aim of study (acc. to author)

The association of maternal cell phone use during pregnancy with developmental milestone delays of motor, cognitive, and language milestones at age 6 and 18 months among offspring was investigated in a cohort study in Denmark.

Further details

Outcomes for developmental milestones were obtained from two telephone interviews completed by mothers at age 6 and 18 months of their child. Mobile phone use was assessed in a questionnaire completed by mothers at age 7 years of their children.
Studies on behavioural problems in the 7-year old children were published in Divan et al. (2008) and Divan et al. (2010).

Endpoint/type of risk estimation

developmental delays of motor, cognitive, and language milestones

Type of risk estimation:

incidence

(odds ratio (OR))

Exposure

- mobile communications
- mobile phone
- personal

Assessment

questionnaire: use of cell phone during pregnancy (years since first use, trimester of use during pregnancy, average times spoken daily on phone, location of mobile phone when not in use (handbag or clothing pocket), proportion of time that phone was powered on, and use of earpiece (hands-free equipment)

Exposure groups

Group	Description
Reference group 1	no exposure
Group 2	prenatal exposure
Reference group 3	times spoken per day: 0 - 1
Group 4	times spoken per day: 2 - 3
Group 5	times spoken per day: ≥ 4
Reference group 6	percentage of time turned on: 0
Group 7	percentage of time turned on: < 50
Group 8	percentage of time turned on: 50 - 99
Group 9	percentage of time turned on: 100

Population

Group:
- children
Age: 0–7 years
Characteristics: cohort of mothers and newborns, born between 1997 and 2002, follow-up at the age of 7 years
Observation period: 1996 - 2002, 2008
Study location: Denmark
Data source: Danish National Birth Cohort
Exclusion criteria: twins or triplets

Study size

Type	Value
Total	41,541

Statistical analysis method:

logistic regression

(adjustment:

sex
combined socio-occupational status of parents, gestational age, parity, mother's age at birth, birth weight

)

Results (acc. to author)

Nearly 34% of mothers used a cell phone during pregnancy between 1997-2002. Less than 5% of children at age 6 and 18 months had motor, cognitive or language developmental delays.
No evidence of an association between maternal cell phone use during pregnancy and motor, cognitive or language developmental delays among infants at 6 and 18 months of age was observed. Even when considering dose-response associations for cell phone, associations were null.

Study funded by

Danish Medical Research Council (DMRC), Denmark
Lundbeck Foundation, Denmark
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences/National Institute of Health (NIEHS/NIH), USA
UCLA School of Public Health, USA

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