Influence of maternal infection on the morpho-functional state of preterm fetuses’ adrenal cortex

Abstract

Adrenals as the one of main organs that reacts to a stress have the extreme importance for the normal organism development. Despite numerous researches in the perinatal period, the problem of pregnancy infections on the morpho-functional state of adrenals of fetuses was not completely studied.Methods. Organs were taken from incisions of premature fetuses (gestational age 24-36 weeks). The material was divided in 3 groups: control, chronic intrauterine hypoxia and infections. The study included two adrenals, investigated histologically and immunohistochemically.Results. Mother’s infectious pathology has the more harmful effect on fetuses’ adrenals than a “pure chronic intrauterine hypoxia”. Іn fetuses was reveled a hypoplasia of glomerular zone. In all groups were observed nidi of cytolysis and spongyocytes resorption in the bundle zone with cortisol production increase. In a fetal cortex is observed the exhaustion of its functional activity.Conclusions. These data testify to adaptive reactions of fetuses’ adrenals as a response to antigen stimulation