Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted all aspects of people’s lives, with many tasks and services now being delivered online in the aim of reducing contact and preventing further transmission of the disease. This has resulted in the increase in the use of portable electronic devices (i.e., mobile phones, smartphones, laptops), which emit different frequencies of electromagnetic field (EMF) radiation. However, the evidence on the harmful impacts of EMF radiation exposure on the human body, particularly on the abdomen of the female body during pregnancy, is scarce. Further, the related studies in the literature have yet to be systematically reviewed. If unmanaged, the absorption of EMF radiation by the maternal abdomen during pregnancy is associated with serious birth and infant outcomes. Purpose This study aimed to systematically review the published studies on the direct effects of EMF radiation emitted from mobile phones on pregnancy, birth, and infant outcomes. Methods After a systematic search using the PRISMA guidelines, a total of 18 articles were retrieved from 5 databases. Studies which addressed the negative outcomes of EMF radiation exposure on mothers, adults, and children's health were included. The research articles were then sorted based on whether their findings were related to the impacts of EMF on physiological or pregnancy outcomes. Results The findings of this review showed that EMF radiation exposure is associated with hormonal, thermal, and cardiovascular changes among adults. However, the reviewed studies did not consider the impacts of EMF radiation exposure on pregnancy outcomes specifically, which makes it difficult to draw conclusions from this review. Only four of the reviewed studies were conducted among pregnant women. These studies reported that EMF radiation exposure during pregnancy is associated with miscarriages and fluctuations in the fetal temperature and heart rate variability, as well as infant anthropometric measures. Conclusions More research should be conducted to identify the specific impacts of EMF radiation exposure on pregnancy, birth, and infant outcomes. Healthcare providers and researchers are recommended to collaborate to improve public health through public education and updated organizational policies to limit these environmental risks by encouraging the use of safe technologies.
Excessive smartphone use has been found to be associated with dysfunctional social and family relations. While most studies of this phenomenon have focused on adolescent and adult addiction, none has yet to focus on mothers with infants. This study examined the association of excessive smartphone use with mother–infant bonding, maternal mental health, and family functioning in Jordan. The predictive value of the study variables with respect to the level of smartphone use was evaluated. A descriptive correlational cross‐sectional survey design was used. A sample of 114 mothers with infants was interviewed in person and completed a web‐based questionnaire. Approximately 16% reported using smartphones 5 to 14 hours per day; 6.7% described themselves as smartphone addicts. The results suggest that excessive smartphone use may be linked to unhealthy family functioning. No associations were found between smartphone use and mother–infant bonding or maternal mental health. Raising awareness of this linkage and limiting smartphone use are recommended as precautionary measures. Although this study failed to find any association between smartphone use and mother–infant bonding, further studies using empirical methods might have better success.
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