9 Essential Tips for Reducing EMF Radiation Exposure During Pregnancy

At WaveBlock™, our goal has always been the same: protect men, women, and especially children from the harmful effects of long-term exposure to EMF radiation. WaveBlock™ was founded by a father who was concerned about how much time his young sons were spending in front of iPads and with wireless earbuds on in order to Zoom into school during the pandemic. Could these tech devices be hurting his kids?

Our founder did some research and what he found was concerning. Not only does EMF radiation that is emitted by our tech devices pose a bigger risk to children than adults, but it can be so dangerous that other countries have banned the use of WiFi routers in nurseries and classrooms to protect children.

That’s when WaveBlock™ started. We make simple-to-use, affordable, and discreet stickers that significantly reduce the EMF radiation exposure emitted from tech devices like cell phones, tablets, wireless earbuds, laptops, and more.

But, did you know that EMF radiation can also have negative effects on unborn babies? There’s research that shows that not only does EMF radiation impact male fertility, but it can also be harmful to pregnant mothers and their unborn children. 

Things like avoiding alcohol, taking supplements, and even eliminating certain toiletries have become commonplace for pregnant women. It’s a way to help their growing babies have the best possible start in life. While these factors are certainly important, it seems like there isn’t enough conversation around the potential effects of technology, especially with the growing amounts of EMFs we are surrounded by on a daily basis.

The team at WaveBlock™ is not trying to scare you. We know that the world we live in is surrounded by tech in order to help us work, communicate, and thrive. However, we do want to educate you so that you can keep yourself and your family safe. Just as lifestyle adjustments can help your pregnancy, being aware of how EMF radiation can affect you and your baby is important, too.

The more you know, the better. Let’s dive into it.

What is EMF Radiation?

EMF stands for electromagnetic field. Electromagnetic fields are invisible and are emitted by both natural and manmade objects. EMFs live on a spectrum varying from low to high frequencies. There is ionizing and non-ionizing EMF radiation. Ionizing radiation comes from things like x-rays and gamma rays from the sun. These are the most dangerous. 

However, non-ionizing radiation can do damage as well, especially with frequent exposure. Non-ionizing radiation comes from things like WiFi routers, microwaves, phones, laptops, and other tech devices. Long-term exposure can result in health issues like migraines, chronic fatigue, cell damage, tissue damage, mental health concerts, and even cancer. Ever felt like you have a bad headache after working on a laptop for a long time or having wireless earbuds in for too long? You might be experiencing EMF sensitivity, something the bulk of WaveBlock™ customers have experienced, too.

EMF radiation affects children more greatly than adults because their bodies are still developing, making them more sensitive to external influences like radiation. With devices like phones and wireless earbuds, it’s important to note that children have thinner skulls which allows greater penetration to the brain.

Should Pregnant Women Be Concerned About EMF Exposure During Pregnancy?

The short answer is yes. Everyone should be concerned about long-term exposure to any kind of radiation. Prenatal vitamins, abstaining from drugs/alcohol/cigarettes, and watching what you consume is all helpful; but there is growing research to show that creating some space from technology can greatly help, too.

A recent research study found that the risk of miscarriage in pregnant women who were exposed to EMF radiation was 1.69 times higher than the risk for those not exposed. In their conclusion, researchers in this study detailed that there was a significant relationship between low-frequency EMFs in the home and the risk of miscarriage in pregnant women who were less than 14 weeks pregnant. 

There is still a need for growing research around the topic of EMF radiation and its effects on human health, and there are also a lot of myths out there from people who don’t want you to shy away from purchasing and interacting with the multi-billion dollar tech industry.

Another recent study was performed by Kaiser Permanente scientists in Oakland, California. For this particular study, 900 pregnant women in the San Francisco area were instructed to carry meters with them that measured their EMF exposure over a 24 hour period. After accounting for race and age, expectant mothers with the highest EMF exposure levels during a typical weekday were almost three times as likely to miscarry as the women with the lowest levels. It also shouldn’t come as a surprise that 75% of the subjects in the study were deemed “high exposure” participants. It just shows how much we as a society rely on tech these days.

Dr. De-Kun Li, a senior research scientist with Kaiser who helped with the study, had this to say: 

“I hope this study makes us rethink the notion that magnetic field non-ionizing radiation exposure is safe or has no health risk. This is certainly something we can’t just ignore. We really want people to start rethinking the assumption that magnetic-field exposure is safe. We really, really need more research because everybody is exposed, including the genetically vulnerable and fetuses.”

Is EMF Radiation harmful to unborn babies?

WaveBlock™ has done the research to know that EMF radiation is more dangerous for children than it is for adults (and we have several tips on our blog for how to keep your children safe from EMF radiation as well as WaveBlock™ stickers to attach to their devices). 

One thing the WaveBlock™ team knows for sure is that there are several scientific studies that clearly show that exposure to electromagnetic radiation can have biological impacts, namely to cell growth and function. If EMF radiation can affect cells in a grown adult, it makes sense to want to protect the newly forming cells of a fetus. Cell development in fetuses happens rapidly, which is why health experts tend to be so strict about what expecting mothers should and shouldn’t do during pregnancy to help keep their growing child healthy during this vulnerable stage in life. This research study found that in vitro models exposed to EMF radiation experienced an increase in oxidative stress which leads to cell damage.

The interruption to cell growth, multiplication, and maturation mentioned above can cause birth defects as well as potentially affecting motor and cognitive skills later in life. 

The WaveBlock™ team understands that you can’t hide in a bunker during your pregnancy. That’s why we have comprised a list of helpful tips for protecting expecting mothers and their unborn babies during pregnancy.

8 Essential Tips for EMF Radiation Protection During Pregnancy

1. Keep Your Distance: Scientists recommended that pregnant women avoid cell phones and other tech devices for prolonged periods and should maintain as much distance as possible when using those devices. The WaveBlock™ team has published several easy and free ways for anyone to protect themself from EMF radiation. Some basic ones include using speakerphone, purchasing WaveBlock™ EMF protection stickers, turning off WiFi routers when not in use, keeping phones out of your pockets, keeping laptops away from your lap/body, opting for corded connections rather than wireless ones, and more. 
2. Reduce Usage of EMF-Emitting Devices (When Possible): We know it’s unrealistic to forego all tech usage when pregnant. However, when you’re able, try to put your phone down. Keep distance from the microwave. Etc. 
3. Ditch Unnecessary Tech Altogether: We know you need your cell phone. Can you forego the Apple Watch (yes that emits EMFs too)? The AirPods? Internal household cameras (Ring cameras, etc)? CFL light bulbs? 
4. When You Can’t Ditch or Distance, Use Airplane Mode: Airplane mode significantly decreases your exposure to EMF radiation. Why? Because it eliminates your phone's need to search for a signal or connect to Bluetooth. You can pre-download a show or book. You can keep WiFi on and turn off cellular data. Airplane mode also gives you some time away from all the notifications!
5. Eat Food High in Antioxidants: Your doctor is probably telling you to do this anyway. However, consuming foods high in antioxidants can help your body fight any of the stress it is getting from EMF exposure as well. 
6. Create A Sleep Sanctuary: Making your bedroom an EMF-free zone is an excellent tip whether you are pregnant or not. Get the WiFi router out of your room. Make sure you don’t have smart meters on the walls of your bedroom. Charge your phone in another room or at least two feet away from you. Doctors all agree that sleep is crucial to a healthy pregnancy. Expecting mothers are told which positions are safe to sleep in, but may not be warned about how sleeping with your phone next to you can impact your sleep hygiene as well.
7. Protect Your Bump: We already mentioned keeping cell phones and laptops away from your lap and bump area. There are also companies that make EMF protection clothing as well as EMF protection belly bands that are designed specifically for pregnant women. While WaveBlock™ cannot vouch for the efficacy of products not sold by our company, we understand that something like this may bring expectant mothers more peace of mind.
8. Set Up a Low EMF Nursery: One of the most exciting parts about pregnancy is setting up the nursery for your new family member. Prioritize setting up your nursery with low-EMF devices. Opt for analog baby monitors instead of digital ones. Limit electronic devices in the nursery altogether. Opt for battery-operated toys. 
9. Protect Yourself with WaveBlock™: We have thousands of five star reviews from happy customers who have told us that they either feel better from EMF sensitivity or just feel more safe using their tech thanks to WaveBlock™ stickers. WaveBlock has created the first and only patented technology that reduces EMF radiation exposure without affecting device performance. We have stickers for several product models and brands. We also pride ourselves on transparency. Our lab reports from several FCC-accredited labs are up on our website for you to see.

Common Household Products That Emit Radiation

Here are some common products or things near your home that you may or may not know emit EMF radiation (the amount of EMF emitting by each device varies):

1. Smart Meters
2. Cell Phones
3. Tablets
4. Laptops
5. WiFi Routers
6. Any Bluetooth Capable Device
7. Smart Appliances
8. Smart Home Technology
9. Apple Watches
10. Cordless Phones
11. Microwaves
12. Wireless Cameras
13. CFL light bulbs
14. Televisions
15. Powerlines
16. Cell Phone Towers
17. 5G Towers

Protect Yourself & Your Baby From EMF Radiation with WaveBlock™

The WaveBlock™ team hopes that this article was helpful. Technology is a necessary and unavoidable part of our digital world. This article isn’t about chucking your tech out the window. We just want to make you aware of the effects of EMF radiation so that you can proactively reduce your exposure.

If you have any questions about our products, our research, EMF radiation, or anything else, we invite you to contact the WaveBlock™ team.