Effects of cellular phone emissions on sperm motility in rats

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the effects of cellular phone emissions on rat sperm cells.

Design: Classic experimental.

Setting: Animal research laboratory.

Subjects: Sixteen 3-month-old male Sprague-Dawley rats, weighing 250-300 g.

Intervention(s): Rats in the experimental group were exposed to two 3-hour periods of daily cellular phone emissions for 18 weeks; sperm samples were then collected for evaluation.

Main outcome measure(s): Evaluation of sperm motility, sperm cell morphology, total sperm cell number, and mRNA levels for two cell surface adhesion proteins.

Result(s): Rats exposed to 6 hours of daily cellular phone emissions for 18 weeks exhibited a significantly higher incidence of sperm cell death than control group rats through chi-squared analysis. In addition, abnormal clumping of sperm cells was present in rats exposed to cellular phone emissions and was not present in control group rats.

Conclusion(s): These results suggest that carrying cell phones near reproductive organs could negatively affect male fertility.