Pregnancy in Alloxan Diabetic Rats

Abstract

Study of pregnancy in chronic alloxan diabetic rats reveals that alloxan diabetes, like pancreatectomy diabetes, interferes with the normal estrous cycle of rats and impairs fertility. A high fat diet aids in returning cycles to normal but does not improve fertility. Two of the 7 rats studied died in unexplained hypo-glycemia, one on the 15th day of pregnancy and one 6 days post-partum. The course of the other pregnancies was uninfluenced by pre-existing alloxan diabetes and the course of the diabetes in the survivors was likewise uninfluenced by single or repeated pregnancies. Insulin was not admd. and is not essential to the normal progress of these pregnancies.