Effect of oral cadmium administration to female rats before and/or during pregnancy on the metallothionein level in the fetal liver.

Female Wistar rats received cadmium (Cd) in drinking water at a concentration of 100 ppm before and during pregnancy, prior to gestation only, and during gestation only. For the quantitative determination of metallothionein, the 203Hg-saturation method was used. Each of the 3 exposure treatments led to a decrease of the fatal metallothionein level, which may be due to disturbance in hepatic zinc (Zn) metabolism.