Is WiFi Bad for Pregnancy?

For years now, there has been a debate raging in the scientific community. The topic? Do radiofrequency technologies, like WiFi and smartphones, cause negative health consequences in pregnant women and their unborn children?

While scientists have yet to fully agree on the extent to which modern technology may be harming our health, several studies have shown that these devices, and the radiation they emit, do have some impact on unborn children.

Symptoms ranging from anxiety, depression, lethargy, loss of memory, and even cancer have all been attributed to exposure to radiofrequency (RF) radiation—the kind of radiation produced by technologies such as WiFi and smartphones.

What’s even more alarming is that the negative side effects of exposure to these technologies are especially pronounced in children and developing fetuses. You see, unlike adults, fetuses and developing children have thinner skulls and lower bone density, making them especially vulnerable to the effects of radiation.

As an expectant mother, you may be wondering if WiFi is bad for your pregnancy. Before we get into the details of this question, I want to provide a straightforward and clear answer to this question.

Put simply, WiFi and other devices which use radiofrequency radiation may pose serious risks to pregnant women and their unborn children. Some studies have documented higher incidences of learning disorders in children who were exposed to higher amounts of radiofrequency (RF) radiation in the womb. These risks have been established in rodent models, though more research needs to be carried out on humans before science can agree on the extent of the danger these technologies pose to pregnant women and the unborn.

Now that we’ve established that WiFi exposure is potentially dangerous for pregnant women, let’s explore some of the studies and research that have been conducted on this matter.

Before we really delve into this, I want to remind you that your health and pregnancy is ultimate your responsibility. I don’t want to influence your decision making on matters of health in any way—I am not a doctor. Rather, my goal is to introduce you to a few studies that have come out on this subject and let you draw your own conclusions about what is best for you and your baby.

WiFi and ADHD: Is there a Connection?

The two studies I would like to focus on were conducted at Yale and UCLA. Both studies sought to establish a potential link between radiofrequency radiation exposure—the kind produced by WiFi—and learning disorders, particularly ADHD.

Keep in mind that when we talk about radiofrequency radiation, or RF radiation, we are referring to the radiation caused by smart phones, Bluetooth devices, and WiFi. These devices all emit the same type of radiation, so we can assume that the effects caused by one type of device will be caused by the other device types, as well.

The Yale Study

In the first study carried out at Yale, pregnant mice were split into two groups. The first group spent their gestational period and gave birth in an environment without radiofrequency radiation from electronic devices. Meanwhile, the second group spent the gestational period and gave birth in the vicinity of a cell phone making an ongoing phone call.

For 24 hours per day, the pregnant mice in the second group were exposed to the RF radiation produced by an actual cellphone on a live call.

When the two groups of mice gave eventually gave birth, scientists noted significant differences in the behavior of the two groups of offspring. According to their findings, the group of mice whose mothers had been subjected to the radiation of an ongoing cellphone call appeared to be hyperactive and showed poor memory function.

While the scientists did not go as far as to claim that these newborn mice had ADHD, they also could not preclude this possibility given the behavior of the infant mice.

Previously, scientists had theorized that the link between wireless technologies and ADHD was a mere case of correlation. They posited that mothers who used technology more frequently showed less interest in their children and, therefore, the children were at greater risk for developing a learning disorder.

The mice study made a strong case against this theory, however. Using a rodent model, Taylor and his team had proven that there is a cause-effect relationship between the use of wireless technologies and the likelihood that a mother’s offspring will have impaired cognitive function.

To get a better understanding of this outcome, scientists would need to recreate their experiment in humans. Of course, this is unlikely to happen since many would consider it unethical to purposely expose pregnant women to unnecessary radiation.

The UCLA Study

In the second study, conducted by UCLA, expectant Danish mothers were asked about their cellphone use over the 9-month period of their pregnancies. Remarkably, when researchers followed up years later, the mothers who reported higher cellphone use were more likely to report that their child had been diagnosed with ADHD.

The following table summarizes the outcome of the survey:

Scientists aren’t in perfect agreement when it comes to the specific dangers of using wireless technologies while pregnant. To err on the safe side, however, many doctors agree that women should try to limit their exposure to wireless technologies, which includes WiFi, over the course of their pregnancies.

Dr. Taylor, who authored the Yale study, said that limiting your exposure to radiofrequency radiation while pregnant “…seems warranted.”

Steps You Can Take

Unfortunately, wireless technologies have become an integral part of day-to-day life—they cannot be easily avoided. Airports, malls, cafes, restaurants, and even schools are all likely to have WiFi.

And WiFi isn’t the only culprit, either. Smart meters, Bluetooth devices, washers and dryers, and even refrigerators all emit strong EMF radiation like the EMF emitted by WiFi routers.

It’s clear that expectant mothers cannot avoid all sources of EMF, so what can be done?

Luckily, there are a few commonsense steps that expectant mothers can take to ensure that their fetus is exposed to the lowest levels of EMF radiation possible.

Belly Armor Belly Wrap

My first recommendation is to look into a Belly Armor belly wrap which can be found here on Amazon. These are great as they fit snug and comfortably around your belly. They cut out a significant amount of radiation so that your baby bump will be safe as you go about your day.

While the Belly Armor belly wrap is a great to have, the best way to cut down on EMF radiation exposure will be through changing your habits.

Create Distance

For starters, expectant mothers should be mindful of how they use electronic devices on or around their baby bump.

The EMF radiation produced by electronics like smartphones and WiFi becomes weaker the farther you are from the device. This means that you should always aim to keep your baby bump far away from the electronics you use.

If expecting, you should never use your smartphone/laptop on your belly or while lying in bed. Instead, use these devices while standing or sitting at a desk and adopt a posture that maximizes the distance between your baby bump and the device.

In addition to changing how you use your electronic devices, consider changing the amount of time you spend using these devices altogether.

Set a Timer for your Wifi

For starters, you could limit the amount of time that your WiFi router is powered on. Leaving your WiFi on when it is not being used should be avoided at all costs. Instead, try turning your router off when you go to bed and don’t switch it back on until morning.

If you’re forgetful like I am, then consider picking up one of these handy WiFi routers like this one on Amazon, with a built-in timer. I have one that I set to turn off at 11:00 pm and turn on at 6:00 am. It is super easy to use and it has cut my WiFi radiofrequency radiation exposure by 30%.

If you’re trying to be hyper-vigilant, you could even consider switching to a wired internet connection for the duration of your pregnancy.

Most smart TV’s that require internet access have ethernet cable ports than can be used instead of WiFi. In addition, adapters can be found for most phones and laptops which would allow you to connect to the internet through an ethernet cable instead of wirelessly through WiFi.

Smartphones and Pregnancy

Aside from your WiFi router, the next most common source of radio frequency exposure you’ll want to deal with is your smartphone. While our smartphones are great for sharing memes and staying organized, they are also a major source of EMF radiation.

Whenever you can, do not carry your phone on your person. Instead, try to carry your phone in a purse or bag where it won’t be in direct contact with your body.

At night, consider turning your phone off before bed. This will ensure that none of your phone’s onboard communication devices are operating and cut down on the EMF radiation it produces.

If you use your phone as an alarm clock, you could alternatively switch it to airplane mode for the night. This will cut down on much—though not all—of the EMF radiation.

Finally, consider charging your phone farther from your body. Most experts recommend that you sleep with your phone at least three feet from your body.

For more tips on how to reduce your exposure to EMF radiation, check out this post.