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Document Type |
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Article In Journal |
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Document Title |
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"Study of The Maternal & Fetal Toxicity of Methyl mercury Administration During, Pregnancy in Rats" دراسة تأثير سمية مادة الزئبق على الأجنة والأمهات لدى الفئران خلال فترة الحمل |
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Subject |
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Genetic disorders |
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Document Language |
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English |
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Abstract |
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Background: Methyl mercury (MeHg) is considered as one of the most widely distributed naturally occurring toxicants in the environment, which acquires more increased attention due to its toxicity and human health effect from environmental exposure. MeHg, which is primarily found in fish and sea food and also, in many industrial products, may pose long-term health risks to pregnant women and their developing children. Although data from epidemiological studies have documented reproductive toxicity of MeHg, data on the pregnant women and her fetus has received little attention.
Objective: To study some maternal and fetus parameters as well as the histological changes of some organs in the mothers and fetuses treated with different doses or different periods of exposure to MeHg, using a rat model.
Materials and Methods: Thirty two pregnant female rats were divided into four groups.
The rats of group 1 and 2 were given 2mg/kg/day of MeHg respectively starting from first day of pregnancy, while the rats of group 3 were given 2mg/kg/day of MeHg starting from day 7 of pregnancy. The rats of the fourth group were given normal saline and served as a control group. After routine evaluations including periodic maternal body weight measurements and daily clinical signs observations, the mothers were sacrificed at day 20 of pregnancy, where some fetal growth parameters were measured. After weighing some maternal internal organs and the placenta, sample from maternal and fetal livers and kidneys were taken and processed for histological examination.
Results: Results indicated that treatment with MeHg caused adverse effects on pregnant mothers and their fetuses in the form of reduced maternal body weight, reduced organ weights e.g. liver and kidney, reduced fetal growth parameters and placenta weights together with altered histological appearance of the maternal and fetal livers and kidneys.
These changes were significantly severe with the higher dose and longer exposure time of MeHg administration.
Conclusion: MeHg exposure caused many effect on both the mothers and fetuses in a concentration and time-dependent manner. Additional studies are needed to evaluate potential developmental effects in neonates exposed to MeHg in utero at concentrations that do not cause maternal toxicity.
Keywords: Methyl mercury; maternal toxicity; fetal toxicity |
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ISSN |
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3185-4152 |
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Journal Name |
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Saudi Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology |
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Volume |
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1 |
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Issue Number |
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10 |
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Publishing Year |
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1430 AH
2009 AD |
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Article Type |
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Article |
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Added Date |
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Thursday, February 11, 2010 |
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Researchers
| حامد عبد الرؤوف صالح | Saleh, Hamid A | Researcher | Doctorate | hsaleh@kau.edu.sa |
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