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A possible association betweenfetal/neonatal exposure toradiofrequency electromagnetic radiationand the increased incidence of AutismSpectrum Disorders (ASD)

Robert C. Kane*

The Associated Bioelectromagnetics Technologists, P.O. Box 133, Blanchardville, WI 53516-0133, USA

Received 6 January 2003; accepted 15 October 2003

Summary Recently disclosed epidemiological data indicate a dramatic increase in the incidence of autism spectrumdisorders. Previously, the incidence of autism has been reported as 45 per 10,000 children. The most recent evidenceindicates an increased incidence of about 1 per 500 children. However, the etiology of autism is yet to be determined.The recently disclosed data suggest a possible correlation between autism incidence and a previously unconsideredenvironmental toxin. It is generally accepted in the scientic community that radiofrequency (RF) radiation is abiologically active substance. It is also readily acknowledged that human exposures to RF radiation have becomepervasive during the past 20 years, whereas such exposures were uncommon prior to that time. It is suggested thatfetal or neo-natal exposures to RF radiation may be associated with an increased incidence of autism.c 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Introduction

Prior to the 20th century the only sources of ra-diofrequency (RF) radiation were the hyper-low

levels of RF energy originating from our sun and theeven lower levels of extra-solar RF noise. It is inthis environment of low-level RF radiation that lifeon earth developed and exists to this day.

During the 1940s, primarily as a result of re-search and development performed as a part of thewar effort, industry and the military establishmentwere successful in bringing the state of RF energygeneration to maturity. From that time onward we

have witnessed a broad range of commercial RFenergy product applications including, most nota-bly, broadcast FM radio, radar, television, public-service mobile communication transceivers,residential microwave ovens, and the portablecellular telephone.

Initially, the contribution of each radiating de-vice was imperceptible when weighed against thebackground of incoming solar radiation. However,over the span of decades the number of terrestrialRF radiation sources, now counted in the billions,has increased to the degree that, presently, thebase radiation level is many thousands of timeshigher than from solar RF energy impinging on theearth.

Notwithstanding the proliferation of RF radia-tion sources during the early decades of the

*

Fax: +1-608-523-6500.E-mail address: rkane@tds.net (R.C. Kane).URL: http://www.emfbioeffects.org.

0306-9877/$ - see front matter c 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.doi:10.1016/S0306-9877(03)00309-8

Medical Hypotheses (2004) 62 , 195197

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radiofrequency age, the 1940s through the1970s, humans were seldom exposed to RF radia-tion at levels that might cause concern. Since thelate 1970s a number of commercial products havebecome ubiquitous, which provide human expo-sures to levels of RF radiation that are signicantly

higher than either of the previous or presentbackground levels. Research reports indicate thatRF exposure levels, typically encountered fromsome commercial products, may induce alterationsof biological processes or damage to the genome[113].

Concurrently the incidence of autism diagnosesdemonstrates a pronounced, approximately linear,order of magnitude increase occurring during thelast 20 years [14]. For several decades prior to 1980autism incidence remained essentially invariant;reportedly at about one diagnosed case per 2000children. Byrd has reported a present autism inci-dence of about one per 700 children.

Hypothesis

RF radiation sources have become commonplace inthe personal human environment from approxi-mately 1980 to the present. Operation of an RFradiation source such as a two-way radio, portabletelephone, or a cell phone exposes the operator tolevels of RF radiation shown to be biologically ac-

tive. Operation of an RF radiation source also ex-poses others, in the near proximity, to similarlybiologically active levels of electromagnetic eldintensities [15]. Passive operation, such as from anRF emitting baby monitor, is a widespread post-natal exposure.

Some of the known effects of exposure to RFradiation include cognitive impairment [16],memory decit [17], EEG modications [18], DNAdamage [312], chromosome aberrations [6], mi-cronucleus formation [7,22], fetal malformation[1,2], increased permeability of the blood-brainbarrier [19,23], altered cellular calcium efux [20]and altered cell proliferation [21].

RF radiation emissions from residential micro-wave ovens are, typically, on the order of 1 mW percm2. RF radiation exposures from cell phones rangefrom about 0.1 to 10.0 mW per cm 2. Portable two-way radios provide similar exposure levels. Thescientic literature conrms that RF radiation ex-posures, at levels more than 1000 times lower thandescribed immediately preceding, or on the orderof 1.0 l W per cm2, induce signicant changes inbiological processes or molecular repair mecha-nisms [12].

During gestation the possibility of unobservableembryonic and fetal damage is increased asmothers-to-be utilize and are exposed to theemissions from RF radiation devices. Researchershave emphatically reported that an embryo or fe-tus should not be exposed to RF radiation such as

that emitted by the portable cell phone or portabletelephone. One particular reason to avoid RF ra-diation exposure during pregnancy is that an em-bryo or fetus may not be fully protected byamniotic uid for extended periods of time due tothe natural movement of the embryo or fetuswithin the womb. Secondly, the pelvic structurepromotes deep RF radiation penetration and thatradiation can be absorbed within the developingembryo or fetus.

Other researchers have postulated that theremay exist a previously unidentied environmentaltoxin associated with the observed increased inci-dence of autism. For example, the works of Byrdet al. (California 1999) [14], Bertrand et al. [24],(New Jersey 2001), Taylor et al. [25], (UK 1999), and Chakrabarti and Fombonne [26], (UK 2001) clearly support the proposition that theidentied increased incidence of autism has anorigin at about 1980: an increased incidence thathas its origin established at the very time that thepersonal RF radiation devices came into popularuse about 1980. We propose that RF radiation, anew form of exposure of the human embryo, fetus,and infant, and an acknowledged environmental

toxin under many exposure conditions, may be as-sociated with the increased incidence of autism.This proposition is further based on the fact thatthese radiating products are periodically and typi-cally utilized in the embryonic, fetal and neonatalenvironment. RF radiation is the only known toxin,exposure to which is wholly correlated with therepeatedly documented increased incidence ofautism, which is now reported by at least someresearchers as greater than 1 per 100 newborn.

Conclusion

The hypothesis may be tested and further investi-gated by employing accepted epidemiologicaltechniques including a carefully crafted retro-spective questionnaire. In particular, national orregional health registries, such as those availablewithin California, the UK and Denmark (the DanishHealth Registry) can provide the requisite studydemography and RF radiation exposure scenarios,while also identifying and precluding incorporationof known confounders.

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