Zinc feeding and conception in the rats.
When the diet was supplemented with 4,000 ppm zinc as ZnSO4 for 18 days, the incidence of conception was lower in a group of rats as compared to an unsupplemented group treated as control. The number of implantation sites calculated by adding the number of resorption sites and of fetuses was reduced in the zinc ingested group as expressed per mated female. Additional zinc intake was interpreted to interfere with implantation of the fertilised ova. But institution of zinc administration at the same dose 21 to 26 days prior to coitus and continued throughout gestation for 18 days did not affect the incidence of conception and implantation sites per mated female. The observation was probably due to an adaptation to precoital treatment with zinc. In both experiments stillbirth and malformed fetuses were absent and the number of resorption sites was negligible in the zinc ingested rats and their controls suggesting no major untoward effect of added zinc to fetal growth. This was further corroborated by unaffected fetal and placental weights.
Department of Biochemistry, School of Tropical Medicine, Calcutta, India.
N
N
Pal
B
B
Pal
D000818:Animals; D003267:Contraception; D003307:Copulation; D004032:Diet; D010064:Embryo Implantation / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D051381:Rats; D013431:Sulfates / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013997:Time Factors; D015032:Zinc / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019287:Zinc Sulfate
D013431:Sulfates; D019287:Zinc Sulfate; D015032:Zinc