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Body Composition in Experimental Intrauterine Growth Retardation in the Rat¹

Departments of Pediatrics, Michael Reese Hospital and Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, and Universitäts Kinderklinik, Innsbrück, Austria

The body compositions of a normally growing rat fetus were measured in the fetuses of eight pregnant rats during the last 5 days of intrauterine life. As the fetus grew in utero, there was a progressive contraction of body water and an increase in body protein (measured as nitrogen), fat, calcium and phosphorus contents. These changes were similar to those observed during postnatal growth. Intrauterine growth retardation was experimentally induced in five pregnant rats by ligating the uterine artery supplying one of the two uterine horns at 17 days of gestation. Intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) was evident in 21 rat fetuses when delivered at 21 days of gestation, since their body weights were significantly lower than those of 21 control fetuses located in the unligated uterine horns. Chemical compositions were measured by tissue analysis. In IUGR fetuses, the total body water content was significantly higher, whereas the fat and protein contents were significantly lower than the control. The calcium and phosphorus contents were similar. The Ca/P ratio was lower in IUGR fetuses. The placental chemical compositions were similar between IUGR and control fetuses. It is suggested that the difference in chemical composition is probably a result of decreased placental transport of essential nutrients for fetal assimilation in utero.

² Max Kade Foundation Fellow, New York. Present address: Universitäts Kinderklinik, Innsbrück, Austria.

³ Address for reprints: Dr. W. Oh, Department of Pediatrics, UCLA Harbor General Hospital, 1000 West Carson Street, Torrance, California 90509.

Manuscript received 18 April 1969.