GESTATION 



1001 



TABLE Ki.lO 



Effects of adrenalectomy on the character of the litter, 



and on fetal body weight and adrenal weight 



(From M. E. Davis and E. J. Plotz, 



Endocrinology, 54, 384, 1954.) 



Calculation of standard error of the mean: 



S.E. 



/ Ed-^ 



]/ nin - 



1) 



of a i)ivgnancy has also been reported in 

 an adrenalectomized human female main- 

 tained on hydrocortisone 9a-fliiorohydro- 

 cortisone (Laidlaw, Cohen and Gornal, 

 1958). In this instance measurements of 

 urine excretion of aldosterone revealed an 

 increase to 4.4 fxg. per 24 hours during the 

 last trimester of pregnancy and a postpar- 

 tum value of 0.5 fig. Inasmuch as the value 

 is only 1/10 of that seen in a normal preg- 

 nancy the authors concluded that the ad- 

 renal cortex of the mother is the major 

 source of aldosterone during pregnancy and 

 that a high output is not a major prereq- 

 uisite for a normal pregnancy. 



Treatment with either 0.9 per cent saline 

 drinking water or with cortisone increased 

 the number of successful pregnancies fol- 

 lowing adrenalectomy during the first half 

 of gestation. Pregnancy was normal in 8 

 of 11 adrenalectomized rats (Davis and 

 Plotz, 1954). Treatment with 2 mg. of corti- 

 sone acetate resulted in successful preg- 

 nancies in 13 of 14 rats adrenalectomized 

 on the 4th to 6th day of gestation and 12 of 

 12 rats adrenalectomized on the 14th to 16th 

 day of gestation. However, complete main- 



tenance was not obtained. The body weight 

 of the mothers and the weight of the fetuses 

 were significantly lower than in the con- 

 trols, and the number of stillborn and sickly 

 young was increased. 



A comparison of the pregnancy-mainte- 

 nance activity in a number of adrenal cor- 

 ticoids indicated that a combination of a 

 glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid pro- 

 vides the best protection in the adrenalecto- 

 mized rat (Cupps, 1955). Nulliparous rats 

 were adrenalectomized, placed on treat- 

 ment, and mated. Under these conditions 

 the adrenalectomized controls and the rats 

 treated with desoxycorticosterone acetate 

 failed to become pregnant inasmuch as no 

 implantation sites were obtained (Table 



TABLE 16.11 



Effect of adrenal steroids on reproduction in 

 adrenalectomized female rats 



(From P. T. Cupps, Endocrinology, 57, 1, 1955.) 



Daily Treatment 



Control 



Cortisone acetate 

 ^i mg 



Cortisone acetate 

 ^i mg 



Cortisone acetate 

 1'^ mg 



Cortisone acetate 

 2,4 mg 



Hydrocortisone 

 acetate Vi mg.. . , 



Cortisone acetate 

 Vi mg. plus 



Desoxycorticoster- 

 one acetate ^ 

 mg 



Desoxycorticoster- 

 one acetate ^^ 

 mg 



Desoxycorticoster- 

 one acetate ^ 

 mg 



Desoxycorl icoster- 

 one acflate 1 mg , 



Adrenalectomized 

 control 



Weight 

 Change 

 during 

 Preg- 

 nancy 

 (average)" 



gm. 

 46.4 



-30. S'' 



-1.5« 

 17.2^ 

 12.8^ 

 30.7 



44.6 



"Weight change of mother from day of breed- 

 ing to day after parturition. 

 " Significant at 0.05 level. 

 '= Significant at 0.01 level. 



