Male Reproductive and Cellular Damage After Prenatal 3.5 GHz Radiation Exposure: One‐Year Postnatal Effects

Abstract This study investigates the long‐term effects of prenatal exposure to 3.5 GHz radiofrequency radiation (RFR) on male reproductive health. Pregnant Wistar Hannover rats were divided into sham control, full‐gestation exposure (3T RFR), and late‐gestation exposure (2T RFR) groups (2 h/day). Male offspring were euthanized at 12 months for testicular analysis. In the 3T RFR group, seminiferous tubule diameter and epithelial height were significantly reduced compared to controls (adjusted p = 0.03 and 9.71 × 10 −8 ), along with lower Johnsen scores (adjusted p = 0.022). Abnormal sperm morphology increased significantly (adjusted p = 0.036). γ‐H2AX immunostaining scores were elevated in the 2T and 3T groups (adjusted p = 0.012 and 6.36 × 10 −9 ). Beclin‐1 expression was significantly higher in the 3T group versus sham and 2T groups (adjusted p = 8.55 × 10 −4 and 4.51 × 10 −6 ). TUNEL‐positive cell counts were significantly higher in both RFR groups than in sham (adjusted p = 8.77 × 10 −18 for 3T, 6.42 × 10 −17 for 2T), as was the apoptosis index (adjusted p = 8.77 × 10 −18 for 3T, 5.66 × 10 −17 for 2T). All p values were Holm–Bonferroni corrected. These findings indicate that prenatal exposure to 3.5 GHz RFR results in persistent testicular damage, impaired spermatogenesis, and increased DNA damage, autophagy, and apoptosis in adult male rats.