title: Effects of administering caffeine to pregnant rats either as a single daily dose or as divided doses four times a day.
abstract: From day 6 to day 20 of pregnancy, rats were treated with caffeine in a total daily dose of 10 or 100 mg/kg by gavage, either as a single bolus dose or as four divided doses given at 3-hr intervals throughout the day. Controls were given distilled water at the same times. Maternal body weight and food and water consumption were reduced in the two groups receiving a total of 100 mg caffeine/kg/day and in the group given 2.5 mg/kg four times daily. Dose-related decreases in foetal weight, placental weight and crown-rump length and dose-related retardation of skeletal ossification were observed. Major foetal abnormalities, mainly ectrodactyly, were seen only in the group given 100 mg caffeine/kg in a single daily dose.
mesh_terms: D000014:Abnormalities, Drug-Induced / Q000209:etiology*; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002110:Caffeine / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D010012:Osteogenesis / Q000187:drug effects; D010920:Placenta / Q000187:drug effects; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D002110:Caffeine