Obstetric and neonatal outcomes of vanishing twin syndrome / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare the obstetric and neonatal outcomes of singleton pregnancies originating from vanishing twin syndrome with those of singleton pregnancies originating from a single gestation following in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>This case-control study involved a total of 409 singleton deliveries after IVF-ET/freeze-thawed embryo transfer, including 44 survivors of vanishing twin syndrome (study group) and 365 singletons (control group). The duration of gestation, rate of preterm delivery, neonatal birth weight and proportion of low birth weight were compared between the two groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Of all the singletons born, 10.8% originated from a vanishing twin gestation. No differences were found in the duration of gestation between the two groups. The mean gestational age was 38.29 ± 1.76 vs 38.45 ± 1.40 weeks (P=0.495) in the study group and controls group, with the rate of preterm delivery of 15.9% vs 10.13% (P=0.298), respectively. The mean birth weight was significantly higher in the control group (3261.8 ± 437.85 g vs 3086.8 ± 527.01 g, P<0.05), but the proportion of low birth weight (<2500 g) showed no significant difference between the study and control groups (6.82% vs 2.74%, P=0.316).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The survivors of vanishing twin syndrome are at a higher risk of having lower birth weight than singletons of single gestation following IVF-ET.</p>

Effects of preeclampsia-like symptoms at early gestational stage on feto-placental outcomes in a mouse model / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Early and late-onset preeclampsia is thought to be different disease entities. This study aimed to determine the effects of early-onset preeclampsia-like symptoms on feto-placental outcomes and the adverse impacts of various factors on placental and fetal growth and development at different gestational stages in a mouse model.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Pregnant C57BL/6J mice were divided into control and preeclampsia (PE) groups, and injected subcutaneously with the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) 50 mgxkg(-1)d(-1). The PE group was divided into early-, mid- and late-PE groups with L-NAME injections starting on days 7, 11 and 16 of pregnancy, respectively. Corresponding control groups were injected with saline at the same time points. Blood pressure was measured until days 14 and 18, when the fetuses and placentas were removed under anesthesia. Blood pressure, urinary protein, and fetal and placental conditions were analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Blood pressure and urinary protein increased following L-NAME injection. The fetal survival rate and fetal weight were reduced and the fetal absorption rate was increased in the early-PE group on days 14 and 18 of pregnancy, compared with the control group. There were no significant differences in these parameters between the late-PE group and the respective control group. Placental weights in the early- and mid-PE groups were significantly reduced at days 14 and 18 of pregnancy compared with the control groups, but there was no significant difference in placental weight between the late-PE group and the respective control group. Morphologic examination of placentas from the early- and mid-PE groups showed varying degrees of fibrinoid necrosis and villous interstitial edema, but no significant pathologic changes were found in the placentas from the late-PE or control groups.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Preeclampsia-like symptoms occurring during the early stage of pregnancy are more likely to affect placental and fetal development, whereas late onset preeclampsia-like symptoms have a direct impact on the mothers.</p>

Effect of prenatal exposure of alcohol in the morphology of developing rat embryo.

The objective this study was to observe the morphological changes in developing rat embryo exposed to alcohol in utero. Virgin female Wistar rats in experimental group (n=15) were given 20% (v/v) alcohol two weeks before mating and throughout the gestational period through oral route. The controls (n=15) were also maintained and were given the tap water. On gestational day 15 (GD15) and 19 (GD19), five rats from each group were sacrificed by cervical dislocation and the abdomen was incised to expose the uterine horn. The number of implantation sites and resorptions were counted and recorded. The body weight and length of the fetuses were also recorded. The litter size and body weight of the newborn were also recorded at the time of birth from the remaining dam. The incidence of resorption was higher in alcohol treated group than in control which was found to be 25% and 8.7% at days 15 and 19 respectively. The body weight and length of fetuses were found to be decreased and was significant at GD15 (p<0.001 for weight and p<0.05 for length). Similarly, the litter size and body weight of newborn were also found to be decreased significantly (p<0.05 for litter size and p<0.01 for body weight). The present study shows that the maternal consumption of alcohol during pregnancy has adverse effect on fetal viability and development of growing embryo.

Effect of "Flit"[TM] on the productive profiles and the histopathological changes of internal organs of adult albino rats

This formulated product as composed of the necessary amounts of pyrethroids and the required amount of the Kerosine caused severe, unacceptable pathological developmental changes. Body weight of newborns showed progressive affection of the newly born, of which Kerosine has marked influence. Mother behaviour was studied from quality of nest, post parturient aggressive interest of mother towards their youngsters were found to be significantly affected. Male sexual activity was revealed from weight of testis or accessory organs and semen quality. Kerosine alone induced significant differences. Estrous cycle was affected and regressive activity prolonged whatever the animal is exposed. Number of dead and resorbed foeti was significantly different in Kerosine and the whole compound. Teratogenic affection of the born foeti were clear even with Kerosine alone and absence of accessory elements [thymus gland]. Thus, this formulation is described as being severely hazardous and care should be taken even with the manipulation of Kerosine alone

Teratogenic effects of dimethoate and carbosulfan insecticides on albino rat fetuses

The present study deals with the teratogenic effects which occur in albino rat fetuses after intragastric administration of different doses of dimethoate and carbosulfan insecticides, either separately or in combination, to pregnant albino rats. In this study, fifty female albino rats were allocated to ten groups [5/each group]; control, low dose dimethoate 1/40 LD50 [8.25 mg/kg], medium dose dimethoate 1/20 LD50 [16.5 mg/kg], high dose dimethoate 1/10 LD50 [33 mg/kg], low dose carbosulfan 1/40 LD50 [5.2 mg/kg], medium dose carbosulfan 1/20 LD50 [10.45 mg/kg], high dose carbosulfan 1/40 LD50 [20.9 mg/kg], mixed low doses of dimethoate and carbosulfan, mixed medium doses of dimethoate and carbosulfan, and mixed high doses of dimethoate and carbosulfan. All pregnant females in mixed medium doses of dimethoate and carbosulfan group died between 9th and 11[th] day of gestation, while those in mixed high doses of dimethoate and carbosulfan died between 8th and 10[th] day of gestation. Animals of all groups were sacrificed in the morning of 20th day of gestation. The external manifestation of poisoning with dimethoate and carbosulfan, embryolethality, live and dead fetuses, placental weight, external abnormalities of fetuses, fetal weight, crown-rump length, biparietal diameter had been monitored. The results of the present study denoting that both dimethoate and carbosulfan insecticides, had a deleterious effects on embryolethality in the form of increased percentage of preimplantation loss, an increased percentage of resorptions, and decreased percentage of live fetuse. Also, both dimethoate and carbosulfan insecticides had a deleterious effects on fetal growth in the form of reduction of, fetal weight, crown-rump length, and biparietal diameter. It is concluded that dimethoate and carbosulfan insecticides had a deleterious effects on fetal growth and embryolethality, this effect is dose-related, and that the mixture of low doses had an effect near that of medium and sometimes high dose of dimethoate and carbosulfan insecticides

Teratogenicity of Asparagus racemosus Willd. root, a herbal medicine.

Asparagus racemosus (AR) is a herb used as a rasayana in Ayurveda and is considered both general and female reproductive tonic. Methanolic extract of A. racemosus roots (ARM; 100 mg/kg/day for 60 days) showed teratological disorders in terms of increased resorption of fetuses, gross malformations e.g. swelling in legs and intrauterine growth retardation with a small placental size in Charles Foster rats. Pups born to mother exposed to ARM for full duration of gestation showed evidence of higher rate of resorption and therefore smaller litter size. The live pup showed significant decrease in body weight and length and delay of various developmental parameters when compared to respective control groups. AR therefore, should be used in pregnancy cautiously as its exposure during that period may cause damage to the offspring.

Skeletal anomalies of gabapentin in pregnant female albino rats

Gabapentin is one of the new antiepileptic drugs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the skeletal anomalies of gabapentin in pregnant female albino rats. Thirty virgin female albino rats were used and classified into three equal groups each consisted of 10 rats. The first group received nothing except regular diet and tap water and considered as negative control. The second group received 1 ml saline daily orally from the 1st day till the 20th day of gestation. The third group received gabapentin in a single dose of 324 mg/kg body weight in 1 ml saline orally daily from the 1st day to the 20th day of gestation. On the 20th day of pregnancy, rats were sacrificed and the uterine horns promptly exposed, the number of alive fetuses was detected as well as the number of fetal resorptions. Individual fetal weight, crown- rump length [CRL] and bipareital diameter were recorded. Then fetuses were eviscerated and placed into alizarin red stain for detection of osseous skeleton. The numbers of fetal resorptions in the negative and positive control rats were 5% and 4.6% respectively. The number of fetal resorptions in gabapentin treated dams was 42%. The numbers of examined alive fetuses were 85, 82, and 28 in negative control, positive control and gabapentin treated rats respectively. There were significant decrease in the weight, CRL and bipareital diameter measures in fetuses of third group [gabapentin treated] compared to those in the first group [negative control]. Fetuses stained with alizarin stain of dams treated with gabapentin revealed incomplete ossification of skull bones as parietal, interpareital, occipital, frontal, lacrimal and occipital bones. Also, there were incomplete ossifications of vertebral, metacarpal and metatarsal bones. It can be concluded that gabapentin is experimentally a teratogenic drug. It can be recommended that further studies must be done to evaluate teratogenicity of gabapentin in humans. Mothers taking it during pregnancy have to check regularly their fetuses till the end of pregnancy. But it is preferred that those women should be advised to use a contraceptive method during treatment with this drug to avoid its teratogenic effect

Evaluation of guinea pig model for experimental Salmonella serovar Abortusequi infection in reference to infertility.

The present study conclusively revealed the role for Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serovar Abortusequi in conception failure. None of the 12 guinea pigs conceived when orally exposed to sublethal dose of the pathogen during breeding, while 66.67% of animals in control group were found pregnant during same period of observation under similar conditions. Salmonella carrier animals also had drastic reduction in conception rate (16.67%). During mid pregnancy, S. Abortusequi exposure to guinea pigs through intravaginal, intramuscular and subcutaneous routes induced fetal death followed by resorption. While 2 out of 6 orally inoculated and 3 out of 6 intraperitonially inoculated guinea pigs aborted, in rest of the animals fetal death was followed by meceration and resorption. It was interesting to note that S. Abortusequi could not persist longer than a week in males while in pregnant females it could be detected for >10 weeks after inoculation. In late pregnancy, most of the exposed animals aborted and non aborting animals though had normal parturition, survival rate of their babies was nearly zero in comparison to the control group. The study revealed role for S. Abortusequi in impairing conception, abortion, early fetal deaths, fetal meceration and resorption. Further studies are required to identify factors responsible for increased susceptibility of females particularly during pregnancy.

Dose-Incidence Relationships on the Prenatal Effects of Gamma-Radiation in Mice

The objective of this investigation was to evaluate dose-incidence relationships on the prenatal effects of gamma-radiation. Pregnant ICR mice were exposed on day 11.5 after conception, coincident with the most sensitive stage for the induction of major congenital malformations, with 0.5-4.0 Gy of gamma-radiations. The animals were sacrificed on day 18 of gestation and the fetuses were examined for mortality, growth retardation, change in head size and any other morphological abnormalities. With increasing radiation dose, incidence of small head, growth retarded fetuses, cleft palate, dilatation of cerebral ventricle and abnormalities of the extremities in live fetuses rose. The threshold doses of radiation that induced cleft palate and dilatation of cerebral ventricle, and abnormal extremities were between 1.0 and 2.0 Gy, and between 0.5 and 1.0 Gy, respectively.

Effect of dexamethasone on implantation and pregnancy in albino rats.

Administration of 3 mg/kg body weight of dexamethasone from day 1 or 3 to 7 of pregnancy did not prevent implantation in albino rats. But the same dose when administered from day 8 to 11 resulted in complete abortion / resorption in all rats. Administration of 2 mg / kg body weight of dexamethasone from day 8 to 11 of pregnancy held no effect on the foetal survival. The results indicate that a high dose of dexamethasone does not affect implantation but the same dose affects the more advanced stages of pregnancy.

Effects of melatonin on the teratogenicity of alcohol in albino rat

Teratogenicity of alcohol has been widely studied in humans and laboratory animals. Alcohol seems to produce its deleterious effects through its capability to release harmful free radicals. The aim of the present study was to determine the potential role of exogenous melatonin as a free radical scavenger [antioxidant] against the teratogenicity of alcohol. Twenty four pregnant albino rats were randomly divided into four equal groups: control, alcohol, melatonin and melatonin-alcohol. Treatment was given intragastrically daily from day 6 through day 12 of gestation. Twenty days full term rat fetuses were then collected. Two thirds of the fetuses were fixed in Bouin's solution for external and visceral examinations. Skeletons of the remaining third of the fetuses were stained with alizarin red for their evaluation. The present study revealed the teratogenicity of alcohol even in its mild dose of 15 ml/kg BW [ethanol, 25% v/v]. In the experimental rats, it increased the rate of resorptions and delayed the fetal growth. It also affected the ossification of the skeletal system and produced different congenital abnormalities. Exogenous melatonin given in this study in a dose of 9 mg/kg BW did not affect significantly the fetal growth and development and did not produce any congenital abnormalities. However, all developmental parameters assessed in this study were found to be normal in the melatonin-alcohol group when compared to the control group. Also, no congenital abnormalities were detected. The results obtained from this study indicate that melatonin probably acts as a negative coteratogen as it counteracts the teratogenic effects of alcohol. The present results also support those reported by previous workers which indicated the role of free radicals in mediating the teratogenicity of alcohol. According to the present findings, it is suggested that any substance known to release free radicals should be prohibited during pregnancy. If it is necessary, it should be combined with a potent antioxidant, to avoid its teratogenic effects

La mujer embarazada con problemas de adicciones: consideraciones de genero, investigación y tratamiento / The pregnant women with addiction problems: gender, research and treatment issues

El presente artículo resume brevemente los problemas y las controversias en torno al consumo de sustancias psicoactivas en mujeres embarazadas, entre ellos: la prevalencia del consumo en las mujeres, los efectos dañinos del uso del alcohol y las drogas sobre el feto y el desarrollo infantil; los instrumentos con los que puede contar el profesionista de la salud para la detección oportuna de estos casos y finalmente la accesibilidad y las barreras al tratamiento con las que se enfrentan las mujeres. Asimismo, se describe todo lo antes mencionado con la presentación de historia de vida de una mujer adicta-madre. La metodología que se utilizó fue cualitativa. Se destacan entre las conclusiones la relación recíproca entre la influencia cultural y el desarrollo individual como una unidad integral básica para comprener la experiencia adictiva de las mujeres

Embryonic/fetal mortality after exposure to tritiated water in pregnant Swiss albino mice during different gestation periods.

Pregnant Swiss albino mice were given a priming injection(im) of tritiated water (HTO) at the dose rate of 2.3 and 5 microCi/ml body water (74, 111 or 185 KBq/ml body water) at 0, 6 and 14 day post conception (d.p.c.) and were subsequently maintained on tritiated drinking water ad libitum during preimplantation (0-5 d.p.c.), organogenetic (6-12 d.p.c.) or fetal (14-18 d.p.c.) period, respectively. On day 18 of gestation the females were sacrificed by cervical dislocation to record the implant sites per dam and embryonic/fetal mortality. Significant reduction was observed in average implant sites per dam when the females were exposed to any of the three doses during the preimplantation period due to embryonic resorption before implantation. However, the same was found to be within the normal range when mothers were exposed during the organogenetic or fetal period. Prenatal mortality (embryonic resorption/fetal death) was higher after in utero exposure to different doses during preimplantation period as compared to organogenetic period, but mortality did not occur after exposure to any of the doses during the fetal period. Occurrence of mortality was found to be dose dependent.

Early pregnancy termination in rats immunized with denatured chicken riboflavin carrier protein.

Immunoneutralization of the maternal riboflavin carrier protein in the pregnant rat with antibodies to chicken egg vitamin carrier has earlier been shown to terminate their pregnancies. In order to understand the nature of the epitopic conformations capable of eliciting antibodies bioneutralizing the endogenous riboflavin carrier protein in the pregnant rat, we compared pregnancy progression in the fertile rodents following active immunization with either the native, SDS-denatured, reduced-carboxymethylated or SDS-treated reduced carboxymethylated avian egg white riboflavin carrier protein. The data revealed that despite the total antibody titers being higher in the animals immunized with the native protein, the antibodies elicited against the denatured avian vitamin carrier exhibited relatively better potencies to bioneutralize the endogenous maternal protein as evidenced by higher rates of early fetal resorption.

Effects of hypothyroidism on pregnancy of rats.

Adult female rats of approximately same age and weight were grouped and thyroidectomized before pregnancy and at different stages of gestation. While studying their pregnancy performances, it was observed that there was a significant (P less than 0.05) increase in the length of gestation in thyroidectomized animals as compared to intact controls. This is possibly due to the smaller litter size. The litter size and foetal weights were significantly (P less than 0.01) lower than the controls and were inversely proportional to the duration of the hypothyroidism during pregnancy. Hypothyroidism did not affect the implantation. The mammary gland growth was significantly (P less than 0.01) reduced in all the experimental groups. Hypothyroidism during pregnancy hardly affected the adrenal weight but significantly (P less than 0.01) decreased the ovarian weight possibly due to the disturbance in hypophysialgonadal axis.