Purpose: The study objective was to assess the influence of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) exposure on sleep patterns in preterm newborns. We hypothesized that an increase in RF-EMF exposure levels would alter infants' sleep structure parameters.
Materials and methods: Individual, continuous measurements of RF-EMF levels were performed in 29 hospitalized preterm newborns throughout the first 21 days after birth. The last day, overnight sleep structure was recorded by polysomnography. Relationships between both chronic (three-week period) and acute (polysomnographic period) RF-EMF levels with sleep parameters were computed.
Results: At median levels, the main chronic effect was an increase in indeterminate sleep with RF-EMF exposure. At the highest exposure levels found in our study, an increase in RF-EMF levels increased sleep fragmentation. No significant relationship was found between acute RF-EMF levels and sleep parameters.
Conclusions: Despite no consolidated disruption in sleep structure, this study is the first to show that some sleep parameters seem to have a certain sensitivity to chronic - but not acute - RF-EMF exposure in preterm newborns. Further studies are needed to confirm our results and examine possible mid- to long-term, sleep-related cardiorespiratory and neurodevelopmental outcomes.
Keywords: Pediatric; electrophysiological recordings; new-born; polysomnography; radiofrequencies.