Progesterone administration induces preimplantation embryonic loss in mice.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of progesterone during early pregnancy on pregnancy maintenance in mice.


METHODS
Experimental study or laboratory investigation.


METHODS
An established molecular reproduction laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, S.V. University.


METHODS
Healthy virgin female Swiss albino mice of 8 weeks of age.


METHODS
After confirmation of the heat period, adult female mice were mated with mature healthy males to achieve pregnancy. Inseminated females received intraperitoneal injections of progesterone at doses of 0, 1, 3.5, 7, 15, 25, or 50 mg/kg body weight on the first, third, and seventh day of pregnancy.


METHODS
Preimplantation embryonic loss.


RESULTS
Pregnancy failure was evidenced by reduction in the number of embryos in females injected with 7 (25.12 %), 15 (38.44 %), 25 (100%), and 50 (100%) mg progesterone/kg body weight. In females with a successful pregnancy, the numbers of corpora lutea and postimplantation loss per dam were comparable across all groups. No increase in the incidence of malformed fetuses was found in any progesterone-treated groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Administration of supranormal levels of progesterone during early pregnancy caused a reduction in the number of implantations and an increase in preimplantation loss in mice.
Harini
Challa
C
Department of Biotechnology, Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati, India.
Sainath
Sri Bhashyam
SB
Reddy
Pamanji Sreenivasula
PS
D000818:Animals; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D010064:Embryo Implantation; D020964:Embryo Loss / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D011247:Pregnancy; D011374:Progesterone / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity
D011374:Progesterone