Veterinary Research Forum

Abstract Molar pregnancy is a rare condition in women, referring to the development of fetal membranes with or without an embryo. A 22-year-old mare referred to the veterinary faculty clinic due to the delayed parturition. In the ultrasound examination, the uterine membranes were seen suspended in fluids without any trace of the fetal organs. The mare underwent caesarean section, a mixture of brown fluid with fragments of fetal membranes was removed, but no fetus or any remnants of the fetus were found in the uterus. In the histopathological examinations, the fetal membranes showed severe degenerative changes. Also, the thickness of the endometrium had lost its normal structure and the layers of stratum spongiosum and stratum compactum could not be separated. The contents of the uterus were evacuated as much as possible and the mare regained her full health after the surgery. This is the first case of continued pregnancy without an embryo in a horse, which can be an unusual type of molar pregnancy.

Abstract Phthalates are environmental contaminants mostly used as plasticizers and additives in different products. Having endocrine-disrupting properties, phthalates are known as potential reproductive toxicants. The present study was conducted to evaluate the reproductive toxicity of di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) in pregnant rats and their offspring and also to assess the ability of vitamin E in the elimination or reducing reproductive toxicity of DBP. Sixty-six pregnant Wistar rats were exposed to 100, 500 or 1,000 mg kg^-1 per day DBP or 500 mg kg^-1 per day DBP along with 100 mg kg^-1 per day vitamin E during gestation. After delivery, they were divided into two groups. In one group gavage was finished after litter while in the other DBP administration was continued till weaning. The results showed that DBP affected many aspects of reproductive performance in pregnant rats and their offspring. It could be suggested that vitamin E could ameliorate the adverse effects of DBP, especially in male pups.

Abstract This study was performed to achieve abortion in a short time and with minimum side effects in a bitch, as an alternative method for termination of unwanted pregnancy. The experimentation was performed on 10 privately owned crossbred pregnant bitches, in their late second trimester of pregnancy, having a variable number of fetuses (3 to 9). Fetal death was induced by transabdominal intracardiac injection of potassium chloride (KCl) into the fetal heart under ultrasonographic guidance. Pregnancy was terminated within 36 to 72 hr (51.60 ±16.04 hr) and none of the patients experienced any side effects or clinical complications. Data presented in this report provided evidence for the possible use of this technique to selectively reduce the number of canine fetuses without terminating the whole pregnancy. Ultrasound-guided induced fetal death is a safe procedure and a viable method for the induction of abortion in a short time and with no apparent side effects.

Abstract Food intake of rats increases during pregnancy. This requires changes in the structure of the small intestine to absorb additional food. The aim of the present study was to investigate the morphological changes in the layers of small intestine in rats during pregnancy. Duodenum, jejunum and ileum of 18 pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats (day 7, 14 and 21 of pregnancy) were collected. Villous height and width and thickness of lamina propria, tunica muscularis entirely and separately (circular and longitudinal layers) were measured on transverse sections. During pregnancy increasing villi length and muscular layer thickness was observed in duodenum. Furthermore, along with the progress of gestation greatest histomorphometric change in small intestine was observed in the jejunum. The reduction in the ileum histomorphologic indices was observed during pregnancy. In conclusion, increase in histomorphologic indices of duodenum and jejunum supplies more capacity of duodenum to digest food intake during pregnancy and decrease in these indices in ileum controls the absorption of excess produced amino acids and glucose by hyperphagia.