EMF on Women's Health

Introduction

The traditional roles of women at home and men in the workplace have shifted. Women are working more than ever, and yet they still take on most household responsibilities. Women most often are the ones who adjust their schedules and make compromises to balance career and family needs. While women are at work, are they exposed to EMF?

EMF Radiation from WIFI & Cell Phones

Exposure to EMF is everywhere, be it in the form of wifi radiation or cell phone radiation. Long-term exposure to EMF radiations has adverse health risks on the body, particularly at the area of exposure. When Cell Phones are pressed against the head during a call, the EMF radiation is absorbed by the head region. While the reproductive organs are exposed to radiation when laptops are placed directly above the lap.

While the EMF effects on the body may be the same for both men and women, the research found that the effects of EMF radiation may impact women differently.

A 40-year Swedish study on men, women, and children aged 0-80 years was conducted to investigate the correlation of RadioFrequency EMF and thyroid cancer. It was found that exposure to EMF radiation from the daily use of cell phone and cordless phone results in an increased case of thyroid cancer – and is statistically more significant in women. The Thyroid Cancer cases are further increased in a more recent study.

Gender-specific EMF effects are further carried with a study on heart rate & sleep in healthy men and women aged 40-60 years. Older Women, not Men, exposed to EMF had disrupted sleep and showed a decrease of time in REM Sleep – deep sleep that is essential for all to feel rested and stay healthy.

Women at Work

Many women are working in jobs, be it full-time or part-time, that requires using Computers, Phones, and Tablets. EMF exposure to Wifi Radiation and Cell Phone Radiation is inevitable as most of the job scope varies from Communication, Writers, to Sales and Marketing – the job requires portable electronic devices.

Migraine & Symptoms of EMF

A migraine is a severe form of painful headache accompanied by throbbing pain and symptoms of nausea, vomiting, increased sensitivity to light or sound. Women are more prone to get Migraines compared to men, around 1 in every 5 women (20%) and around 1 in every 15 men (6%).

By placing the Cell Phones against the head during calls, the vulnerable brain is exposed to EMF radiation. A study on 114 patients with migraine found that reports of headaches and severe migraines stem from Cell Phone and Wi-Fi devices usage. The number and severity of migraine headaches significantly increased with the use of cell phones during the day and Wi-Fi use per week. It was recommended that the patients limit cell phone use and use the fixed-line telephone for their daily telecommunications instead. No recommendation was suggested for Computers/Laptops use as there is no substitute for such devices.

Brain Tumour

Apart from migraines and headaches, EMF radiation affects brain activity. Long-term exposure to EMF could lead to other adverse effects such as an abnormal growth of tissue in the brain (Tumour).

Studies found that there is an increased risk of acoustic neuroma – a form of benign Brain Tumour – with mobile phone use of at least 10 years duration. Roberto Romeo, who worked for Telecom Italia, used his phone to coordinate with other technicians in the company. He used his cell phone for up to four to five hours a day over a 15-year period. As a result, he developed the Brain Tumour. Italian Court ordered INAIL, a workplace accident insurance agency, to compensate Romeo for the damage caused.

To reduce the risk of head tumours or Migraine Headaches induced by long-term Cell Phone use, consider using DeviceShield as a Cell Phone radiation protection, and to use wired headphones instead of placing the phone directly against your head when in use.

Where do you keep your phones?

Where you keep your Cell Phones when not in use also plays a role in mitigating the risk effects caused by EMF radiation.

In Australia, a 2017 survey found that 15% of women tucked their phones in their bra against the breast, with 33% of them below the age of 20 years old. In case reports compiled in a study of Prolonged Contact between Breasts and Cellular Phones, raises the concern of a possible association of Multifocal Breast Cancer (multiple tumours arise in the same area of the breast) with EMF exposures from Cell Phones.

Breast Cancer from EMF

Case #1
A 33-year-old Female routinely places her Cell Phone in her bra when she goes jogging 3-4 times per week. She uses the GPS (Global Positioning System) on her Cell Phone to determine her location while jogging. Breast Imaging revealed a cluster of tumour growth in her breast, directly under the contact area of her Cell Phone.

Case #4
A 39-year-old female uses her Cell Phone in her bra while commuting, using a Bluetooth device to talk for hours each day for the past ten years. She was diagnosed with Breast Cancer, with noticeable tumour growth in her right breast, around the area of Cell Phone contact.

Each of these patients had Multifocal Breast Cancer, but the Tumours were all clustered within the area of breast tissue directly at the Cell Phone contact, nowhere else. Highlighting Case #2 and #3, the case study raised concern on young Females who are undergoing puberty, as their breasts tissue are still growing and dividing, and are particularly vulnerable to EMF Radiation from Cell Phones.

Infertility

A 2018 study paper indicated that the effect of Non-Ionizing EMF (Cell Phones & Computer Devices) appears to correlate with higher miscarriage rates and birth defects. Many women are exposed to Ionizing EMF both for Diagnostic (such as Radiotherapy & X-ray imaging) and Therapeutic reasons. Radiation therapy may induce long-term side effects that impair the reproductive organs and hormonal regulation.

EMF exposure was found to inhibit fertility by altering the reproductive hormones, function, fetal development, and pregnancy. An increased number of birth defects and natural abortions in pregnant women working in offices was revealed in a study indicating a high possibility that EMF exposure from a computer monitor can negatively affect human reproduction.

Pregnancy

A fetal at the womb is vulnerable to environmental hazards, toxins, and unhealthy habits – and the effects might persist from infant till adulthood. Pregnant mothers have to abstain from toxins such as alcohol and coffee and environmental hazards such as EMF radiation exposure.

913 pregnant women from Northern California participated in a study to investigate health risks linked to EMF exposure. Pregnant women exposed to EMF was found to have a significantly higher rate of miscarriage compared to other women who were not exposed. The study hopes to further investigate the adverse biological impact of EMF from everyday exposure (Electrical Appliances, Wireless Networks & Devices) on human health, including the health of pregnant women.

A test on pregnant mice found that exposure to high temperatures caused by EMF exposure induces impaired learning and memory in newborns. At the early stage of pregnancy, higher levels of EMF Radiation at the microwave spectrum led to neurobehavioral disorders and behavioural alterations that persisted into adulthood. The increasing rate of behavioural disorders in children may be, at least in part, due to the microwave EMF radiation exposure at the womb.

Using Cell Phones & Other wireless Devices around your Child

The journey from a fragile newborn to an active child is filled with anxiety, especially for first-time mothers. Most of you would know the do and don't for a safe pregnancy, here is our list of tips to reduce EMF exposure to your newborn baby.

1. Avoid placing devices such as Cell Phones, Computers, Laptops near the belly when pregnant. The use of devices directly near the womb has been linked to adverse health effects from prenatal exposure to radiation.
   
2. Abstain from using electronic devices near your child, be it during breastfeeding or playtime. It’s okay to take pictures of your child but place the phone away once you are done. If you are using the phone for a video call, place the phone at least one foot away from your child to reduce radiation from EMF exposure.
   
3. Switch on Airplane mode if you were to keep devices near your child. Keep your child away from electronic devices that are switched on.

Conclusion

Women living in this modern society balance careers with family life, and various kind of EMF exposure is inevitable during household and occupational activities. However, we could exercise certain precautions such as limiting device usage, or use safely with DeviceShield – an innovative Japanese Nanotechnology product to reduce EMF radiation from Cordless & Cell Phones, Tablets, and Laptops.