Effect of dexamethazone on the development of the pancreas in albino rats

ABSTRACT

Twenty pregnant albino rats were used in this study and divided into control and treated groups. The animals of the treated group were injected intramuscularly by a single dose of dexamethasone [0.5 mg/day] from the 5th to the 19th day of pregnancy. The control animals were injected intramuscularly by oily solution in amounts and at times corresponding to the treated animals. It was found that dexamethasone administration during pregnancy caused a decrease of the maternal gestational body weight gain, high incidence of resorption and fetal death. It also impaired the fetal growth in the form of a significant decrease in the lengths and weights of the maternally treated fetuses. It was advised to avoid the use of dexamethasone in pregnant women throughout the period of pregnancy to avoid developing pancreatitis in mothers and their newborns and also to avoid its teratogenic effects