Congenital Malformations Induced in Rats by Maternal Nutritional Deficiency

Abstract

Skeletal abnormalities occurred in about one-third of the offspring of female rats reared and bred on Steenbock and Black's rachitogenic diet no. 2965 supplemented with viosterol (diet I). Similar skeletal defects were not found in the offspring of females of the same strain reared and bred on a stock diet. Similarly no such defects were observed in the offspring of females of the same strain reared and bred on diet II, a diet which differs from diet I in that it contains 2% dried pig liver and only 1% of calcium carbonate. The defects were also absent in the offspring of females reared and bred on diet I supplemented by 2% pig liver only (diet VI). If in diet I the calcium carbonate content was reduced from 3 to 1% only about one-tenth of the offspring showed abnormalities of the pattern of diet I. By alternately breeding the same female on diets I and II, abnormal and normal litters could be produced alternately. The same pattern of abnormalities was obtained in the offspring of rats of two different strains reared and bred on diet I. Apparently a nutritional factor that is absent or inadequate in diet I and present in liver in large amounts is necessary for the normal intra-uterine development of the rat.