Down regulatory response of reproductive potentials in stress-induced rats supplemented with clomifene citrate: The fate of infertility.

This study was designed to physiologically investigate the fate of stress related infertility conditions to focus on the regulatory response of reproductive potentials in stress-induced female Wistar rats supplemented with clomifene citrate. 42 apparently healthy female Wistar rats weighing about 120-160 g were used in the study. The animals were randomly distributed into 3 groups after acclimatization for 2 weeks. Group 1 served as the control pregnant rats not induced by restraint, mirrored and intruder stressors, group 2 consisted of rats treated with 0.013 mg/g of clomifene citrate drug and exposed to three different stressors while group 3 represented pregnant rats exposed to different stressors but not treated with clomifene citrate. At the end of 3weeks, the rats were euthanized via cervical dislocation. The uterus and ovary organs were carefully isolated, weighed and examined for histological changes. The reproductive capacities studied were gestation period, mean pup weight, litter size and survival rate respectively. Data collected is expressed in Mean±SEM and one way ANOVA statistics was used for comparison of means while Fisher's LSD was employed for post hoc test and the level of significance is determined at p-value < 0.05. Results from our study revealed that restraint and intruder stressors following supplementation with clomifene citrate produced similar stress response in the gestation length, pub-weights, litter size and percentage of survival. Stress of different nature altered the histoarchitecture of the ovary and the uteri of rats exposed to restraint or intruder stressor. Meanwhile, Clomifene citrate administration produced effect on ovulation and pregnancy outcome of stressed pregnant rats and the survival ratio of the offspring.

Maternal Gestation Induced-stress Alters Reproductive Outcome in Adult Female Rats, Offspring Survival Rate and Sex–ratio

@#Introduction: Investigations relating to the effect of stress on reproductive outcome, offspring survival rate and chances of still births are currently attracting global concern. The present study evaluated the effect of maternal gestation induced-stress in the altered reproductive outcome of adult female Wistar rats, offspring sex – ratio and survival following exposure to different stress models. Methods: The study protocol involved two parts. Seventy-eight adult healthy female Wistar rats aged between 12 – 14 weeks and weighing between 150-180g were procured and utilized for part 1 study. The rats were exposed to three stressors; restraint, mirror and intruder, respectively, for three hours per day for three weeks. For part 2 experiment twenty-four female offspring rats from the part 1 study were used. Results: Exposure of rats to the varying stressors increased gestate on length, decreased mean pup weights and litter size at birth especially when the rats were stressed by exposure to restraint or intruder stressor. The effect of stress on gestation period, pup weights and litter size were largely variable and dependent on the nature of stressor applied. There was significant (p<0.05) reduction in the survival rates of offspring of rats exposed to the different nature of stressors especially when stressed with restraint or intruder stressors. The stressors’ impact was greatest when the rats were exposed to the varying stressors up to the end of the 2nd trimester and beyond. Furthermore, the male sex ratio of offspring of stressed rats was significantly (p<0.05) reduced than the females. Conclusion: Stressful maternal condition tends to compromise the fetal outcome, sex ratio specificity and the survival rate of offspring.