Alteration in Amniotic Fluid Volume and Other Findings in Meclizine Hydrochloride Induced Anomalies

Abstract

Summary Meclizine, administered to pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats on the 12th, 13th and 14th days of gestation in a dosage (50 mg per day), which induced palatal clefts in almost one hundred percent of the fetuses, resulted in a significantly elevated volume of amniotic fluid on the 15th day of gestation. Thereafter, progressive decline to a normal value on the 18th gestational day and a significantly depressed amniotic fluid volume on the 19th day of gestation occurred. Fetal weights were approximately the same in experimental and control animals. The weights of the placenta and fetal membranes combined were significantly less than normal on the 16th, 17th, 18th, and 19th days of gestation. Possible mechanisms by which the alterations in amniotic fluid were effected are discussed.