RESUMEN
Sixteen Wistar rats were studied in the last week of pregnancy. Another group of 6 nonpregnant animals served as control. Eight pregnant and 6 control ratas were kept in the cold room at 4 degrees C for 4 days, while 8 pregnant rats remained at 22 degrees C. After blocking the thyroid gland with potassium perchlorate to prevent iodine reutilization, a dose of 4 microCi of 125I-T3 was injected i.p. Thereafter, animals were placed in individual metabolic cages for separate 24 h collection of urine and feces. Heparinized blood samples were obtained at 4, 14, 24 and 28 h following tracer injection. Pregnant rats exposed to cold had a significant increase in T3 fractional turnover as compared to pregnants at 22 degrees C (p < 0.005) and to controls at 4 degrees C (p < 0.02). No changes were observed in space of distribution, serum concentration and body pool of T3. Degradation of this hormone, however, was significantly augmented (p < 0.05) in pregnants at 4 degrees C as compared to pregnants at 22 degrees C, although not when compared to controls at 4 degrees C. The urinary excretion of 125I was increased in pregnants in the cold (p <0.005) versus pregnants at 22 degrees C. The metabolic (p < 0.005), urinary (p < 0.001) and fecal (p < 0.05) clearances in pregnants at 4 degrees C were augmented with respect to the other two groups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)