THE EFFECTS OF CONTINUOUS EXPOSURE TO 20-KHZ SAWTOOTH MAGNETIC-FIELDS ON THE LITTERS OF CD-1 MICE

Mated CD-1 mice were exposed to 20-kHz sawtooth magnetic fields similar to those associated with video display terminals (VDT). Four groups of animals were continuously exposed from day 1 to day 18 of pregnancy to field strengths of 0, 3.6, 17, or 200-mu-T. There were no less than 185 mated dams in each exposure group. On day 18, the dams were sacrificed and assessed for weight gain and pregnancy. The litters were evaluated for numbers of implantations, fetal deaths and resorptions, gross external, visceral and skeletal malformations, and fetal weights. There were no less than 140 pregnant females in each group, and there were no significant differences between any of the exposure groups and the sham group (0-mu-T) for any of the end points. The results of this study do not support the hypothesis that the 20-kHz VLF magnetic fields associated with video display terminals are teratogenic in mammals.