Impairment of Oogenesis and Folliculogenesis in Neonatal Rats after Maternal Exposure to Mobile Phones

Today's lifestyle has led to an increase in infertility. The study investigated the effects of cell phone radiation on oogenesis, folliculogenesis, and gestation stage. Also, its impact on neonates' ovarian hormones and their ovarian development during gestation was investigated. Fifty-four virgin female Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups: the study group (conversation and stand-by mode, n = 24), the control group (stand-by mode, n = 24), and the sham (turn off, n = 6). The study and control groups were separated into 4 subgroups, including early stage (1st week), mid-stage (2nd week), late stage (3rd week), and all stages (3 weeks). The results showed that the concentration of plasma estrogen and progesterone, ovarian primordial follicle/primary oocyte, the number of primordial follicles, and nuclei diameters in the study and control subgroups decreased significantly in comparison with the sham group. The most significant reduction was observed in subgroups in which mothers were exposed to radiation for a long period during their pregnancy. Compared to the control and sham groups, the number of primordial follicle apoptosis markedly increased in the study subgroups. The pregnant rats showed significant effects in the entire stages of pregnancy, especially during the first stage (the first week) of development, which has not been reported previously. Exposure to cell phones during the different gestation stages probably decreases ovarian hormone secretion and may harm oogenesis. It also inversely increases the apoptosis of primordial follicles. Therefore, the gestational stages and duration of exposure to cell phone radiation affect the risk of ovarian harm.