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Evaluation Studies 2006; 27(Suppl 2): 69-73 PubMed PMID: 17159783 Citation  Keywords:  Animals, Animals, Newborn, Dietary Supplements, Female, Fetal Hypoxia:chemically induced, Fetal Viability:drug effects, Growth and Development:drug effects, Male, Phenytoin:toxicity, Pregnancy, Pregnancy, Animal, Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects:preventi.   

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to test the effect of supranutritional dosage of the natural antioxidant vitamin E (VitE) on phenytoin (PHT) induced developmental toxicity and possible long-term effects in rat offspring.

METHODS: PHT (150 mg/kg) was administered by oral gavage daily from day 7 to 18 of gestation and VitE prior to PHT orally on the same days.

RESULTS: PHT administration alone resulted in decreased survival rate and lower body weight of pups on day 21 post partum (PP). Moreover, PHT slightly changed somatic growth and pups failed to present dynamic air righting on days 15-20 PP. VitE supplementation did not alleviate these changes but rather induced persisting body weight reduction on the days 21 PP and 100 PP. We observed also decreased brain wet weight in the PHT and VitE + PHT groups compared to controls.

CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that prenatal supplementation with 500 mg/kg of VitE did not ameliorate the developmental toxicity of PHT and failed to protect postnatal development of rat offspring. Further, in the group supplemented with VitE, the occurrence of persistent body weight gain depression up to adulthood indicates its possible interference with somatic growth regulation....

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Comparative Study 2005; 26(2): 121-124 PubMed PMID: 15855882 Citation  Keywords:  Animals, Exploratory Behavior:drug effects, Female, Habituation, Psychophysiologic:drug effects, Male, Motor Activity:drug effects, Pregnancy, Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects, Rats, Sex Factors, Testosterone:pharmacology, Vocalization, Animal:drug effec.   

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the present study was to characterize the influence of testosterone administered to pregnant females on offsprings postnatal behavioral strategies in the open field.

METHODS: The influence of maternal testosterone on behaviour of 23 day old male and female offsprings was studied in a 20-minute open field test. A total of 9 behavioural events were compared between a control (male n=12, female n=8) and a testosterone group (male n=9, female n=9). Dynamics and patterns of association of these behavioural events were analyzed. The testosterone group was prenatally exposed to testosterone (a single intramuscular injection of 2.5 mg testosteroni isobutyras on gestation day 14).

RESULTS: Male offsprings exposed prenatally to testosterone displayed significantly high levels of ambulation (P<0.05), sniffing (P<0.01), sniffing the air (P<0.05), urination (P<0.05) and significantly lower level of vocalization (P<0.05) than control. Female offsprings exposed prenatally to testosterone displayed significantly higher level of sniffing the air (P<0.05) than control. Significant differences in the dynamics of habituation process were registered only in the group of male. They were from 5 to 10 min in ambulation (P<0.05), from 10 to 15 min in sniffing (P<0.05) and vocalization (P<0.05), from 10 to 15 min and from 15 to 20 min in sniffing the air (P<0.05) and from 0 to 5 min in defecation (P<0.05) and urination (P<0.01).

CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that maternal testosterone may influence especially male postnatal open field strategies....

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Clinical Trial 2004; 25(4): 302-306 PubMed PMID: 15361822 Citation  Keywords:  Adolescent, Adult, Biomarkers, C-Reactive Protein:metabolism, Cystinyl Aminopeptidase:blood, Female, Humans, Isoenzymes:blood, Middle Aged, Predictive Value of Tests, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Outcome, Pregnancy Trimester, Third, Premature Birth:blood, Prenata.   

OBJECTIVES: Preterm deliveries represent still one of the most important problems in contemporary obstetrics. They are associated with prematurity and higher rate of perinatal mortality and morbidity. During the last few years, the role of C-reactive protein (CRP) in prediction of threatening preterm delivery was emphasized. CRP is produced mainly inside the liver as a response to acute and chronic inflammatory processes.

AIM: The aim of this study was to assess relations between C-reactive protein, oxytocinase, izooxytocinase and vaginal culture in prediction of preterm delivery.

METHODS: This study was performed in the years 2000-2004 in the Department of Septic Obstetrics and Gynecology of Collegium Medicum of the Jagiellonian University. Some 389 patients hospitalized because of threatening preterm delivery or preterm delivery in tractu were enrolled into the trial.

CONCLUSION: C-reactive protein is a useful marker of threatening preterm delivery, overtaking the results of vaginal culture. CAP1 and CAP2 are effective biochemical markers in pregnancy monitoring....

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Journal Article 2003; 24(6): 412-416 PubMed PMID: 15073566 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Birth Weight, Body Image, Depressive Disorder, Major:etiology, Humans, Infant, Newborn, Middle Aged, Prenatal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena, Retrospective Studies, Self Efficacy,.   

OBJECTIVE: Foetal origins theory has suggested that early environment can affect vulnerability to major diseases in later life. Recent research also suggests that foetal hormonal programming may influence neurotransmitter and hormone levels affecting adult psychological states (i.e. depression and general self-efficacy). However, investigations into early environment and depression have focused on hospitalised or elderly participants, using non-standard measures. This study investigates links between birthweight and depression in a non clinical adult population, as well as links with general self-efficacy and depression.

METHODS: This is a retrospective design. 100 participants mean age 25.9 self reported birthweight, current height and weight to allow computation of BMI. A General Self-Efficacy Scale and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale were also completed. The official classification of low birthweight (2.5 kg) and the median weight for the group (3.26 kg) were used to identify three groups.

FINDINGS: One way ANOVA showed that variance in depression [F = 5.31, (2,97) p =.006] and lower general self-efficacy [F = 4.04, (2,96) p =.021] is explained by membership of birthweight group. There was no variance between depression and age, although general self-efficacy did increase with age [F = 6.13, (2,95) p =.003). There was no significant variance between BMI and birthweight or depression.

DISCUSSION: Findings add to the growing body of research suggesting that foetal environment influences later life, particularly that early programming may affect hormone and neurotransmitter secretions which may influence later life psychological as well as physical health....

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Journal Article 2001; 22(4): 295-304 PubMed PMID: 11524636 Citation  Keywords:  Affect, Ethics, Medical, Fetus, Humans, Infant, Newborn, Nervous System Physiological Phenomena, Object Attachment, Parent-Child Relations, Perinatology:methods, Terminology as Topic, Touch:physiology, Ultrasonography, Prenatal:adverse effects,.   

: This article gives a short introduction to the science of Haptonomy and more specially to the application of its specific phenomenality of psychotactile affective contact and interaction during prenatal and postnatal life and during childbirth. The neurophysiological implications and the influence of this approach on the pain threshold are briefly mentioned, as well as psychological influences on the postnatal development of the child. Finally, there is a critical commentary on the use of the ultra-sound scan....

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