title: Effects of maternal caffeine ingestion on the perinatal cerebrum.
abstract: The cerebra of fetal rats from dams given 0.04 or 0.02% caffeine in drinking water ad libitum before and/or during pregnancy were examined on gestational day 21. A low placental weight was induced by caffeine ingestion for a long time throughout premating and pregnancy. A greater reduction in the fetal weight of the cerebrum than that of the body was observed with caffeine ingestion during pregnancy of levels of 1.5-3.0 micrograms caffeine/ml or g wet weight in dams and fetuses. In the cerebra of offspring, the levels of caffeine and theophylline did not change for 4 h after birth, and theophylline was not detected at all after intraperitoneal injection of caffeine. Thus, maternal caffeine should be warned against the fetal cerebral function.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D002110:Caffeine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D010920:Placenta / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013806:Theophylline / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002110:Caffeine; D013806:Theophylline