A higher risk of congenital anomalies in the offspring of personnel who served aboard a Norwegian missile torpedo boat

Abstract

Service aboard the MTB was associated with an increased risk of having children with congenital birth defects and having children that were stillborn. The causes of these findings are unknown.

Pregnancy Outcomes After Paternal Radiofrequency Field Exposure Aboard Fast Patrol Boats

“…19 Work on a specific FPB was found to be related to congenital malformations, but the causality was unclear. 1 Conflicting results have also been published regarding RF exposure and preterm births 2,13 and sex ratio. 2,3 RF electromagnetic exposure can have both thermal and non-thermal effects.…”

“…Based on a cross-sectional questionnaire study of naval employees, a higher risk of congenital anomalies was found in offspring and stillborn babies in a subgroup that had been working aboard a specific fast patrol boat (FPB) that was equipped for electronic warfare. 1 All vessels in the RNoN are equipped with radar, transmitters and antennas. Aboard the smallest ships, like FPBs, the distance between personnel and the antennas is short.…”

“…Studies of male reproduction and exposure to RF EMF have produced conflicting results. [1][2][3] One reason could be that the assessment of RF exposure in the epidemiological studies is often inadequate. 4 The aim of the present study was to investigate paternal employment prior to conception aboard vessels in the RNoN and the risk of adverse reproductive health outcomes, in particular among servicemen exposed to RF EMF.…”

Medisinsk fødselsregister i miljøovervåkingen – muligheter og begrensninger

“…Her ble data i stor grad basert på spørreskjema utfylt av personell i Sjøforsva-ret [33] og eksponeringsdata fra tidligere [26] og oppdaterte [34] målinger av radiofrekvente felt. Flere utfall ble studert, blant annet medfødte misdannelser [35], kjønnsratio [36], fertilitet [36,37] og reproduksjonsutfall hos kvinnelig personell [38].…”

Is fertility reduced among men exposed to radiofrequency fields in the Norwegian Navy?

“…An analysis of results from this survey showed that personnel who had served onboard a missiletorpedo patrol boat had a higher risk of congenital anomalies among their offspring than other personnel in the Navy [Magerøy et al, 2006]. Further investigation of the possible effects of radiofrequency fields on the reproductive ability of employees in the Navy was therefore of interest.…”