Effects of 2450 MHz microwave radiation during the gestational period on the postnatal hematology of rats

Abstract

Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to 2.45 GHz CW radiation for 3 h daily from day 4 through day 20 of pregnancy at an average power density of 10.3 mW/cm2. At 2, 10, 20, and 30 d postpartum, several aspects of peripheral blood hematology of male and female pups were examined. No effects were noted on pregnancy rate or litter size; however, pup weight was reduced. Also, the white blood cell numbers were lower in male and female pups exposed to microwave radiation and the differential cell counts were altered in the female pups at 10 d postpartum. At 30 d of age, no differences were noted between the sham and exposed pups for any of the hematologic variables examined.