Cape Town - Children and pregnant women should avoid using cellphones, cordless phones, tablets and smart phones that use wi-fi because they could expose them to wireless radiation that might cause cancer.
Dr Devra Davis, an environmental health researcher and head of the US Environmental Health Trust said that not only did pregnant women expose their unborn babies to a possible human carcinogen, there was evidence that cellphone radiation negatively affected the development of a foetus.
Speaking at the Cancer Association of South Africa (Cansa) about harmful environmental factors during pregnancy, Davis said prenatal animal studies proved that cellphone radiation altered the DNA and brain metabolism, exposed newborns to compromised spinal cords and affected learning abilities. It reduced sperm count in males.
She said that while epidemiological studies had found no concrete evidence on the effects of wireless radiation on humans, people should not insist on proof before they did something about it.
“We should not rely on proof in a form of death or a disease before taking action… we should rather look at evidence that shows the risks. We now have strong evidence that shows wireless radiation is a possible carcinogen, if not a definite carcinogen,” she said.
Davis compared cellphone radiation to that of a microwave oven, arguing that the only difference between the two was power levels. That form of radiation was also in the same category of carcinogens such as pesticides, lead and engine exhausts.
While many pregnant women understood the effects of other environmental factors on an unborn baby, including smoking, alcohol and contaminated foods, Davis warned that the potential damage of wireless radiation was underestimated by many, with some putting their cellphones in bras and pockets – exposing their developing babies to risk.
“A number of well-designed studies indicate that cellphone use increases cancer risk. Cellphones change the brain.
“Antennas for cellphones are continually searching for signals to send and receive information. The body or brain absorbs about half the radiation emitted from the phone.”
Davis said children absorbed more radiation than adults as their developing brains contained more liquid.
Teenagers who started using cellphones from a young age were four to five times more likely to develop brain cancer in less than a decade, than those who didn’t use cellphones. Davis warned that those who lived near cellphone towers also faced an increased risk of cancer.
She said having wi-fi at schools could put children’s health at risk from a young age.
People could reduce health risks by using headphones rather than putting their phones against their ears as this reduced the intensity of wireless radiation.
* Unplug your cellphone wi-fi router or modem.
* Avoid placing your cellphone or laptop or tablet on your abdomen.
* Talk on a speaker setting, especially when answering a call, to avoid the high intensity frequency when a cellphone receives a call.
Dr Carl Albrecht, head of research at Cansa, said the organisation took a cautionary stance.