title: Haematology and serum chemistry parameters of the pregnant rat.
abstract: This study describes the baseline haematology and serum chemistry values found in non-pregnant, pregnant (gestational days [GD] 2-21) and lactating (postnatal days 1-9) Sprague Dawley rats (n = 3-10/day) from the NCTR breeding colony of Crl:COBS CD(SD)BR strain. Maternal body weights on GD0 ranged from 250 to 300 g. Multiple analytes were measured in both whole blood and serum of dams. Amniotic fluid, fetal serum, and postnatal pup serum analyte values were also acquired. Maternal blood was collected from the heart under subterminal carbon dioxide (CO2) anaesthesia. Most pregnant dam blood values were not appreciably different from values for non-pregnant dams until near term; near-term values for some analytes (red blood cells, haemoglobin, haematocrit, mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration, alkaline phosphatase, albumin, total protein, glucose, total bilirubin, sodium, and chloride) decreased but returned to near-normal values soon after delivery. The most dramatic change was a three-fold elevation of serum triglyceride levels near term with a subsequent decrease at birth. Most serum chemistry analytes measured in progeny increased after birth except for alkaline phosphatase, calcium and potassium levels which decreased.
authors.affiliation: Division of Genetic and Reproductive Toxicology, National Center for Toxicological Research, Food & Drug Administration, Jefferson, AR 72079-9502, USA.
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: LaBorde
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Wall
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bolon
authors.forename: T S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Kumpe
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Patton
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kodell
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Young
mesh_terms: D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000737:chemistry; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000097:blood; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood; D004573:Electrolytes / Q000097:blood; D004906:Erythrocyte Count; D004909:Erythrocyte Indices; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry; D005865:Gestational Age; D006400:Hematocrit; D006403:Hematologic Tests; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D007774:Lactation; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal / Q000097:blood*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D001798:Blood Proteins; D004573:Electrolytes; D006454:Hemoglobins; D014280:Triglycerides; D002118:Calcium