Laminin immunized monkeys develop sera toxic to cultured rat embryos and fail to reproduce.

In a previous study antilaminin antibodies in a monkey with a poor reproductive history were found to be the cause of serum toxicity to cultured rat embryos. In the present study four monkeys were immunized with murine tumor laminin and a fifth with bovine serum albumin. Subsequently, sera from only the laminin immunized monkeys became toxic to cultured rat embryos. This serum toxicity was not mediated by complement but did require the antibody to have a divalent structure. Finally, mating trials were conducted with two of the laminin immunized monkeys that previously had excellent reproductive histories. Based on progesterone levels and observation the monkeys continued to have normal menstrual cycles but failed to initiate a successful pregnancy following immunization in over 2 years of mating trials. These data demonstrated that antibodies against laminin could have prevented conception or could have interrupted pregnancy because of embryotoxicity or failure of implantation.

Adverse pregnancy outcome in the monkey (Macaca fascicularis) after chronic caffeine exposure.

Caffeine and the related methylxanthine theophylline are consumed regularly by pregnant women. In a study originally designed to assess the neurotoxic potential of caffeine in the infant, 40 female monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) were divided into three groups and administered caffeine in their drinking water at concentrations equivalent to 0, 10 to 15 or 25 to 35 mg/kg/day of caffeine 7 days a week. After a period of adaptation to caffeine these monkeys were mated with untreated males. Reproductive failure in the form of stillbirths and miscarriages was observed in the treated groups. Subsequently, 12 control monkeys and 1 low-dose monkey were added to the study and most of the original monkeys rebred. The second round of pregnancies confirmed that the treated monkeys had an increased rate of stillbirths and miscarriages. The precise cause of death of the stillborn infants could not be determined. Maternal weight gain and infant birth weights decreased in a dose-related manner. These results indicate that in utero exposure to methylxanthines (caffeine and/or its major metabolite theophylline) adversely affects pregnancy outcome in the monkey.

Caffeine consumption and the risk of reproductive hazards.

Recent reports on the relationship between caffeine consumption by pregnant women and their infants' risk of miscarriage, low birth weight, preterm delivery and congenital malformations were reviewed. The evidence continues to support the view that moderate consumption of caffeine by pregnant women does not adversely affect their fetuses.

PIP: Reversing the recommendations made by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration of 1981, a review of human epidemiological studies finds no adverse effect of caffeine on pregnancy outcome. Several large studies are discussed on each of the following topics: congenital malformations, miscarriage, low birth weight and preterm delivery. The previous warning was based on gavage feeding of large doses of caffeine to rats, and found a particularly high incidence of facial cleft. Congenital malformations were examined in studies of 12,000 women at Harvard (coffee and tea only), and smaller studies at Boston University, Finland and Tohoku University in Japan (only 0.5% of Japanese women are heavy coffee drinkers, and tea was not considered). A 2nd group of analyses examined low birth weight, at Loma Linda, Harvard, Ottawa, Seattle and elsewhere. Only 1 study, which controlled for nicotine but not education, weight or alcohol, found significantly lower birth weight in 12 women who consumed 300 mg caffeine daily. Preterm birth was not increased in 2 studies. Spontaneous abortion was more likely in 2 studies, the Japanese study with limitations noted above, and the Yale study, which found a higher probability of 2nd trimester miscarriage for both caffeine and alcohol drinkers. These studies apparently prompted the FDA to issue a new statement clearing caffeine, as currently used in foods, of health risk.

[Pollution and smoking in pregnant women]. / Pollution et tabagisme chez la femme enceinte.

For nine months the pregnant woman, and indirectly her fetus, is exposed to an aerosol composed of different pollutants. With some of these, as for smoking, it has been possible to define objectively and statistically an alteration of the health status and of the satisfactory outcome of pregnancy; with others it has not been possible at present to define a dose relation effect or a threshold of risk. In this study, known connections were studied between pregnancy and smoking (specific risks, perinatal mortality, childhood cancer and breastfeeding), industrial pollution and particularly those related to lead, fertilisers and pesticides, opiates and cannabis derivatives (in particular their effect on reproductive function), radioactivity and its correlation with the genetic code and the risk of cancer and pollution by micro-organisms. If these risks exist, even it they are not all assessable objectively, the short term action of the most benefit is certainly a change in individual behaviour, for example with tobacco consumption.