title: Effect of zinc deficiency induced before and during pregnancy on the survival of female rats and their pups.
abstract: The objective of the present study was to determine the consequences of Zn2+ deficiency on the gestational process. The study was conducted on adult Wistar virgin female rats fed isocaloric diets containing 16% protein and different Zn2+ concentrations, i.e., 2 ppm (severe restriction), 6 ppm (moderate restriction), and 20 ppm (control). Rats received the diets and water ad libitum for 7, 14 or 21 days before mating and throughout pregnancy. Survival of dams and pups decreased with increasing Zn2+ restriction and with time of exposure to the deficient diet. Mean survival rate for control dams and pups was 100%, whereas severe restriction (2 ppm for 21 days premating and during pregnancy) resulted in survival rates of 25% and 0 for dams and pups, respectively. Dam and pup survival rates for moderate restriction (6 ppm) for the same period were 83% and 72%, respectively. These results indicate the importance of Zn2+ before and during pregnancy and show that Zn2+ deficiency causes metabolic alterations which impair normal reproductive processes.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Psicobiologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Brasil.
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Braga-Costa
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: De-Oliveira
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Vannucchi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001835:Body Weight; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015032:Zinc / Q000172:deficiency*
chemical_list: D015032:Zinc