Malnutrition in rats during pregnancy and lactation period: a study on body, spleen and thymus weights and hematologic parameters in dams and their offspring

Abstract

Physiological changes in the rat dams and their offspring as sequelae of malnutrition during pregnancy and lactation and their capacity for recuperation from early malnutrition is studied.The dams were killed during the lactation period (15th and 30th days of postpartum) and the absolute and relative weights of the thymus and spleen were recorded.The following hematologic parameters were examined: red blood cell count, hemoglobin, hematocrit, mean cell volume, mean cell homoglobin, mean cell hemoglobin concentration, white blood cell count, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils, polimorphonuclear neutrophil, basophils.The offspring were sacrificed at 15, 30 and 90 days of age.Their body weight and the same hematic parameters and organ weights as their mothers were determined.Results indicate a highly significant decrease in body weight and organ weights in experimental dams and an important alteration in their hematic parameters, which may be an important determinant of retardation of growth in pups, whose body and organ weights were significantly smaller than those of the controls.In addition, the hematologic parameters of the malnourished offspring were modified in relation to those of the controls at all times (15, 30 and 90 days old) studied.