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Epidermal growth factor administered in pregnancy has little effect on placental, fetal and postnatal growth and
P Ali1, S W D'Souza, J L Smart
1Department of Child Health, University of Manchester, UK.
Abstract:
Biosynthetic human epidermal growth factor (EGF) was injected daily into female rats (40 micrograms/rat/day) on days 14-20 of pregnancy in two experiments. Number in litter was significantly greater in EGF- than in vehicle-treated mothers in experiment 1 but not experiment 2. Number in litter affected fetal weight. When this factor was taken into account statistically, there was no significant effect of EGF treatment on fetal weight or placental weight, DNA and protein concentrations at 21 days of gestation; nor was birth weight affected by treatment. However, growth in body weight postnatally from 4 to 115 days was slightly but significantly depressed in the offspring of the EGF-treated mothers. A negative effect of additional EGF in pregnancy on subsequent milk production is postulated. The timing of attainment of developmental milestones in the offspring was not affected.