Antenatal glucocorticoids reduce growth in appropriately grown and growth-restricted ovine fetuses in a sex-specific manner.

Abstract

Antenatal glucocorticoids are administered to mature the fetal lungs before preterm birth. Glucocorticoids also have non-pulmonary effects, including reducing fetal body and brain growth. The present study examined whether glucocorticoid administration has a sex-specific effect on growth in appropriately grown (control) and intrauterine growth-restricted (IUGR) fetal sheep. IUGR was induced at 0.7 gestation in fetal sheep by single umbilical artery ligation. On Days 5 and 6 after surgery, IUGR or control fetuses were exposed to the synthetic glucocorticoid betamethasone (BM; 11.4mg) or saline via intramuscular maternal administration. On Day 7, a postmortem was conducted to determine fetal sex and weight. Compared with control fetuses, the birthweight of male and female IUGR fetuses was significantly reduced (by 18.5±4.4% (P=0.002) and 21.7±6.0% (P=0.001), respectively). Maternal administration of BM significantly reduced bodyweight in both control and IUGR fetuses (by 11.3±2.8% and 20.5±3.6% in control male and female fetuses, respectively; and by 22.9±3.1% and 38.3±3.4% in IUGR male and female fetuses, respectively; P<0.001 for all, versus control+saline) fetuses. In control and IUGR animals the degree of growth restriction was greater in females than males (P<0.05) following administration of BM. These data suggest that antenatal glucocorticoids reduce fetal growth in a sex-specific manner, with females more growth restricted than males.

• Authors: Suzanne L Miller, Amy E Sutherland, Veena G Supramaniam, David W Walker, Graham Jenkin, Euan M Wallace
• Journal: Reproduction, fertility, and development (Reprod Fertil Dev) Vol. 24 Issue 5 Pg. 753-8 ( 2012) ISSN: 1031-3613 [Print] Australia
• PMID: 22697125 (Publication Type: Controlled Clinical Trial, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Glucocorticoids

Topics

• Animals
• Brain (drug effects, embryology, growth & development)
• Down-Regulation (drug effects)
• Embryonic Development (drug effects)
• Female
• Fetal Growth Retardation (pathology, physiopathology, veterinary)
• Fetal Weight (drug effects)
• Fetus (drug effects, embryology, pathology)
• Glucocorticoids (pharmacology)
• Male
• Organ Size (drug effects)
• Oxygen Consumption (drug effects)
• Pregnancy
• Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects (physiopathology)
• Sex Characteristics
• Sheep (embryology, physiology)