[The effects of hypoxia during pregnancy on sexual behavior of male offspring].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of hypoxia during the prenatal period and its later repercussions on sexual behavior and the sex hormone secretion of male rats.


METHODS
Experimental animals were divided into three groups randomly: control group, which was kept at normal atmospheric pressure, and two stress groups exposed to a simulated altitude equivalent to 3000 m and 5000 m, respectively. Stress groups were exposed to hypoxic circumstance at their final week of gestation in animal decompression chamber.


RESULTS
Adulthood, males exposed to hypoxic stress during the prenatal period were able to mate with normal females, but these treated males exhibited decreased male sexual behavior. Decreased anogenital distances were observed in male offspring, and presented reductions of plasma testosterone levels, increase of plasma corticosterone levels, but no notable alteration in the organ index.


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate that exposure to hypoxia in the later stages of pregnancy may have a long-term effect on the fertility and sexual behavior of male offspring.
Pan
An-qing
AQ
Hangzhou Normal University of College of Life and Environment Sciences, Hangzhou 310036, China.
Zhang
Li-mei
LM
Hu
Jian-rao
JR
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000502:physiology*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
D013739:Testosterone