This study was carried out to investigate the effects on fetus and placenta in the rat following cadmium chloride exposure late in gestation.
The Wistar puberty virgin rats(weighing from 202g to 238g) were used in this study and these thirty animals were injected with either saline or CdC12 (0.0, 2.0, 4.0, 8.0 or 16.0 mg/kg) at a dose volume of 2.Oml/kg.
Pregnant rats were given 4 days series of subcutaneous injection of cadmium on day 14,15, 16 and 17 of gestation, and then fetal weight, fetal mortality, fetal ossification, histopathological change of placenta, and the accumulation of cadmium in maternal blood, placenta and fetus were measured on day 21 of gestation.
The results obtained are summarized as follows:
1. Cadmium induced the retardation of fetal body weight due to the amounts of cadmium chloride. The average weights of 8mg and 16mg/kg treatment groups were 3.26g and 2.369 respectively. The difference between the weight of treatment group and that of control group was significant statistically (p<0. 01).
2. Accumulated cadmium in placenta of 2mg, 4mg, 8mg and 16mg/kg treatment group were 0. 10, 0. 12-1 0.22, and 0. 47ug/wet g. respectively. But those in fetal whole body were 0. 02, 0. 02, 0.03, and 0. l3ug/wet g. respectively, and in particular L6mg/kg group showed a very high accumulation.
3. Significant delayed ossification of fetal skeletal system was observed in the dams dosed with cadmium chloride of 16mg/kg. The most highest delayed ossification was observed in caudal vertebrae, metatarsus, skull and sternum.
4. Cadmium induced the swelling and edema of placenta. In histopathological change of placenta, necrosis of trophoblast and congestion and hemorrhage of maternal vascular space were apparent.
5. The coefficient of correlation between the concentration of maternal blood (X) and that of placenta (Y) was 0. 66246, and the regression equation was Y=11. 202X+3.7679 (p<0. 01).
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