The teratogenic effects of hydrocortisone on palatal development in the hamster.

The effect of different doses of hydrocortisone, administered at various times during gestation, on the fetal hamster and its palatal development was studied. Both the frequency of cleft palate and that of resorption depended upon the dose of hydrocortisone and the time of its administration. Two peaks in the incidence of cleft palate were observed, which appeared to be due to inhibition of different events. Incidence of morphologically different types of cleft palate was related to the doses and gestational time of hydrocortisone treatment. A close association was observed between the frequency of cleft palate and fetal growth retardation and between the latter and the dose and time of drug administration. It was suggested that maternal physiology and the placental barrier may play a crucial role in cleft palate induction.