Ionized Water Harms Baby Development in Pregnant Rats Study Finds
Effect of ionised (electrolysed) water on the rat embryo development
Research hubs: Reproductive System
This research was done in animals. Results in animals often don't carry over to people.
- Evidence type
- Animal study (rat)
- Authors
- Jolita Stankevič, Aistė Audickaitė, Simona Šilovė, Valdas Šimčikas, Henrikas Cesiulis, Grita Skujienė, Virginija Bukelskienė, Violeta Žalgevičienė, Janina Tutkuvienė
- Journal
- Journal of Environmental Engineering and Landscape Management
- Year
- 2020
- Study Type
- Rat
- Delivery
- Water (Electrolysis)
- Duration
- 3 months
- Outcome
- Negative
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Cited by
- 3 (OpenAlex, as of November 2026)
- Country
- Lithuania
TL;DR
Drinking ionized water, either acidic or alkaline, was found to harm the development of rat embryos compared to regular tap water.
Key Finding
Both alkaline and acidic ionized water increased fetal death rates and caused reduced fetal size and skeletal abnormalities in rat embryos compared to regular tap water.
Summary
Researchers gave pregnant rats either alkaline water, acidic water, or regular tap water produced by a home water ionizer. They found that rats drinking either type of ionized water had more dead fetuses, smaller babies, and babies with shorter bones and delayed bone development compared to the control group. The ionized waters also contained higher levels of certain chemicals than normal water.
Practical Takeaway
This rat study suggests ionized water may negatively affect fetal development, but it is an animal-only study and does not directly show what would happen in humans. The study also found that the ionized water contained chemical contaminants beyond normal levels, which may have contributed to the effects. More research in humans would be needed before drawing conclusions about safety during pregnancy.
Abstract (excerpt)
The aim of this study was to investigate the effects ionised water has on embryonic development using Wistar rat animal model. For that purpose, alkaline and acidic water was prepared with a domestic water ioniser. It was found that the concentrations of Cl–, SO42– ions increased in acidic water…