Induction of severe intrauterine growth retardation in the Sprague-Dawley rat.
A noninvasive technique in an animal model that consistently produces severe intrauterine growth retardation in the Sprague-Dawley rat is described. Maternal rats were exposed continuously to a hypoxic environment (9.5% oxygen) between days 10 and 22 of gestation. This oxygen concentration was marginal for the survival of the Sprague-Dawley rat fetus. The results demonstrate decreases of 61% in litter size, 36% in fetal body weight, and 23% in fetal brain weight. The effect of hypoxia was differentiated from that of a reduced voluntary food intake by the maternal rats occurring simultaneously during the period of hypoxic exposure.
D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D001724:Birth Weight; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004780:Environment, Controlled; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000209:etiology*; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000150:complications*; D008098:Litter Size; D009929:Organ Size; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications; D051381:Rats