Growth hormone treatment after cesarean delivery in rats increases the strength of the uterine scar.
OBJECTIVE
We sought to determine whether postcesarean treatment of rats with growth hormone (GH) affected the strength of the uterine incision in the puerperium and in a subsequent pregnancy.


METHODS
Forty-eight near-term pregnant rats were delivered by cesarean section. Half received subcutaneous recombinant human GH (2.0 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)) for 7 days; control animals received saline injections. Four weeks after delivery, the uterine bursting pressure was determined in 5 treated and 5 control animals. Eight rats in each group were used to study uterine hydroxyproline concentrations and the histologic characteristics of the scar. Twenty-two animals were rebred 30 to 40 days after their cesarean sections. After repeat cesarean delivery, on day 19, the bursting pressure and hydroxyproline concentrations of the previous hysterotomy scar were determined.


RESULTS
The uterine horn bursting pressure in the GH-treated animals was significantly greater than that in the control animals both 28 days postpartum and near term in a subsequent pregnancy. The uterine hydroxyproline concentrations followed the same pattern. Histologic study of the scars showed they were thicker and had less cellularity in the treated animals than in the control animals.


CONCLUSIONS
Postcesarean treatment with GH increased the bursting strength of rat uterine incisions. This effect was accompanied by a significant increase in collagen content and persisted through a subsequent pregnancy.
Bowers
D
D
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and the Institute for Special Pelvic Surgery, Sinai Hospital of Baltimore, MD, USA.
McKenzie
D
D
Dutta
D
D
Wheeless
C R
CR
Cohen
W R
WR
D000818:Animals; D002585:Cesarean Section; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006909:Hydroxyproline / Q000378:metabolism; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013718:Tensile Strength; D014591:Uterine Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014599:Uterus / Q000378:metabolism
D013006:Growth Hormone; D006909:Hydroxyproline