The effect of maternal malnutrition on the progeny in the rat. Studies on growth, body composition and organ cellularity in first and second generation progeny.

Abstract

SummaryThe effects of maternal protein and/or calorie deficiency during gestation in rats on subsequent growth, body composition, cell size and cell number in organs of progeny were studied into maturity. Female rats were fed the experimental diets for two weeks before mating and throughout gestation. Protein deficiency caused a significant decrease in birth weight, litter size and fertility and a significant rise in mortality of pups. Offspring of protein deficient dams exhibited permanent stunting of growth and reduction in organ size. Decreased liver, kidney and heart weights were due to reduction in cell numbers but in epididymal fat pads both cell numbers and cell sizes were significantly reduced. Calorie deficiency had only minor effects and did not potentiate the effects of protein deficiency. None of the treatments affected the percent body‐composition of progeny. Second generation studies showed that female progeny of protein‐deficient dams were relatively infertile and produced litters with reduced growth rates. The infertility of first generation progeny was enhanced by a further period of protein deficiency during their own gestation. The second generation litters then showed a very high level of mortality as well as a reduced growth rate.