Pregnancy and progeny in rats treated with prostaglandin A.

The effects of long-acting prostaglandin A1 upon pregnancy and fetal development were investigated in Long-Evans rats. The animals were treated by the intrauterine route either on gestational day 14 with 25 mug PGA1 or with 50 mug on day 17 of gestation. The incidence of fetal resorptions was significantly increased compared to the controls following treatment on gestational day 17. A significantly high incidence of nonspecific malformations was also induced in the offspring as a result of the treatment. There were no significant differences between experimental and control fetal and placental weights. The total protein content of fetal liver following treatment with PGA1 was not significantly reduced. Microscopic examination of placentas showed a consistent decrease in the thickness of the decidua basalis following treatment with 25 mug PGA1 on day 14 of gestation. The ovaries and umbilical cords showed no changes. In addition, treatment of rats daily with 200 mug PGA1, administered subcutaneously, on gestational days 9-12 or 12-15 did not affect the development of the conceptuses.