In utero immobilization stress and its effects on the development, behavior and sexual maturity of the rat.

The effect of prenatal stress from psychophysical immobilization, the applied during gestation, has been studied as well as its consequences on the development, behavior and sexual maturity in the offspring. Modifications in development were slight, even when intensified at four months of age. Whereas male sexual behavior showed only slight variation, female sexual maturity was markedly changed in experimental animals as compared to controls. From the present results, the psychopathological action from immobilization stress in utero on offspring is questionable.