Carbohydrate metabolism in experimental intrauterine growth retardation in rats

Abstract

Intrauterine growth retardation was induced in 34 pregnant rats by ligating the uterine artery supplying one uterine horn of a bicornate uterus at 17 days of gestation. The opposite uterine horn was left untouched and served as the control. The fetuses were delivered at 21 days of gestation. One hundred and fifty-eight control and 141 intrauterine growth-retarded fetuses were used in a series of three experiments. The body weight, placenta, liver, heart, and kidney weights were smaller in the intrauterine growth-retarded fetuses. The blood glucose of intrauterine growth-retarded fetuses at birth was lower than in the controls. The liver glycogen contents were lower in the intrauterine growth-retarded fetuses during the last 2 days of pregnancy. Intravenous glucose infusion to the mother 2 hours prior to delivery of the fetuses effectively raised the fetal blood glucose to a hyperglycemic range and repletes the previously observed lower hepatic glycogen in the intrauterine growth retardation.