Robeck Todd R, Nollens Hendrik H
SeaWorld and Busch Gardens Reproductive Research Center, SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment Corporation, San Diego, California.
Zoo Biol. 2013 Sep-Oct;32(5):497-509. doi: 10.1002/zoo.21083. Epub 2013 Jun 28.
Gestation and lactation result in metabolic alterations of the dam because of varying demands of the fetus and offspring during the different stages of development. Despite killer whales (Orcinus orca) having one of the longest gestations and highest birth weights of all mammals in human care, these metabolic alterations, and their impact on the physiology of the dam have not been measured. The objectives of this analysis were to determine if physiologic demands on the killer whale during pregnancy and lactation have measurable effects on hematology and biochemical analytes and if detectable, to compare these changes to those which are observed in other mammalian species. Forty hematologic and biochemical analytes from seven female killer whales (22 pregnancies, 1,507 samples) were compared between the following stages: (1) non-pregnant or lactating (control); (2) gestation; and (3) the first 12 months of lactation. Decreased hematocrit, hemoglobin, and red blood cell counts were indicative of plasma volume expansion during mid and late gestation. The killer whales exhibited a progressively increasing physiologic inflammatory state leading up to parturition. Gestation and lactation caused significant shifts in the serum lipid profiles. Gestation and lactation cause significant physiologic changes in the killer whale dam. The last 12 months of gestation had greater physiological impact than lactation, but changes associated with and immediately following parturition were the most dramatic. During this period, killer whales may experience increased susceptibility to illness, and anthropogenic and environmental disturbances.
由于胎儿和后代在不同发育阶段的需求各异，妊娠和哺乳会导致母兽出现代谢改变。尽管虎鲸（逆戟鲸）在人工饲养的所有哺乳动物中孕期最长且出生体重最高，但这些代谢改变及其对母兽生理的影响尚未得到测量。本分析的目的是确定妊娠和哺乳期间对虎鲸的生理需求是否会对血液学和生化分析物产生可测量的影响，若可检测到，则将这些变化与其他哺乳动物物种中观察到的变化进行比较。对7头雌性虎鲸（22次妊娠，1507份样本）的40种血液学和生化分析物在以下阶段进行了比较：（1）未怀孕或哺乳（对照）；（2）妊娠；（3）哺乳的前12个月。血细胞比容、血红蛋白和红细胞计数降低表明妊娠中期和晚期血浆量增加。虎鲸在分娩前生理炎症状态逐渐增强。妊娠和哺乳导致血清脂质谱发生显著变化。妊娠和哺乳会使虎鲸母兽出现显著的生理变化。妊娠的最后12个月比哺乳对生理的影响更大，但与分娩时及紧随其后相关的变化最为显著。在此期间，虎鲸可能对疾病以及人为和环境干扰的易感性增加。
