Absence of dichloromethane teratogenicity with inhalation exposure in rats

Abstract

Female rats were exposed by inhalation to dichloromethane (DCM) at a concentration of 4500 ppm to determine whether exposure before and during gestation is more detrimental to reproductive outcome than exposure either before or during gestation alone. Four treatment groups were utilized in a two by two factorial design: exposure to DCM for 3 weeks before and during the first 17 days of gestation; DCM before and filtered air during gestation; filtered air before and DCM during gestation; and filtered air before and during gestation. Maternal liver weights were increased and fetal body weights were decreased in the two groups exposed to DCM during gestation compared to those exposed to filtered air during gestation. The incidence of gross external, skeletal, or soft-tissue anomalies was not significantly increased in fetuses in any group. Exposure to DCM both before and during gestation resulted in the same low degree of maternal and embryotoxicity as exposure during gestation alone.