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Updated: Jun 23, 2025
Fetal Echocardiography and Pulsed-wave Doppler Ultrasound in a Rabbit Model of Intrauterine Growth Restriction
Published on: June 29, 2013
Is the rabbit a natural model of fetal growth restriction? Morphological and functional characterization study using
Matthieu Dap1, Théo Albert2, Ikrame Ramdhani2
1Université de Lorraine, CHRU-NANCY, Pôle de la Femme, F-54000, Nancy, France; Université de Lorraine, Inserm, IADI, F-54000, Nancy, France; Université de Lorraine, Pôle Laboratoire, F-54000, Nancy, France.
Introduction:
Rabbits are routinely used as a natural model of fetal growth restriction (FGR); however, no studies have confirmed that rabbits have FGR. This study aimed to characterize the fetoplacental unit (FPU) in healthy pregnant rabbits using diffusion-weighted MRI and stereology. A secondary objective of the study was to describe the associations among findings from diffusion-weighted MRI (DW-MRI), fetal weight measurement and histological analysis of the placenta.
Methods:
Pregnant rabbits underwent DW-MRI under general anesthesia on embryonic day 28 of pregnancy. MR imaging was performed at 3.0 T. The apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values were calculated for the fetal brain, liver, and placenta. The placenta was analyzed by stereology (volume density of trophoblasts, the maternal blood space and fetal vessels). Each fetus and placenta were weighed. Two groups of fetuses were defined according to the position in the uterine horn (Cervix group versus Ovary group).
Results:
We analyzed 20 FPUs from 5 pregnant rabbits. Fetuses and placentas were significantly lighter in the Cervix group than in the Ovary group (34.7 ± 3.7 g vs. 40.2 ± 5.4 g; p = 0.02). Volume density analysis revealed that the percentage of fetal vessels, the maternal blood space and trophoblasts was not significantly affected by the position of the fetus in the uterine horn. There was no difference in ADC values according to the position of the fetus in the uterine horn, and there was no correlation between ADC values and fetal weight.
Discussion:
The findings of a multimodal evaluation of the placenta in a rabbit model of FGR suggested is not a natural model of fetal growth restriction.
