FARE GEBELİK DÖNEMİNDE HAREKETSİZLİK STRESİNİN PLASENTA VE YAVRUYA ETKİLERİ

Abstract

AIM: Stress can affect negatively mother and fetuses during pregnancy. We aimed to investigate the effects of chronic immobilization stress on placental maturation and fetal development.MATERİALS AND METHODS: Balb/c virgin female mice (20-30 g) were mated with male mice in a 2 to 1 female to male ratio. Pregnant mice in control group (n=6) were left undisturbed, whereas pregnant mice in the stress group (n=6) were exposed to 45 min chronic immobilization stress for three times/day starting from gestational day 6 till 18. Fetuses and placentas were removed from dams on the gestational day 18 under anesthesia.RESULTS: The prenatal stress significantly increased apoptosis in several placental cells including trophoblastic giant cells, glycogen cells and labyrinth trophoblastic cells and resulted in intrauterine growth restriction. The stress caused a decreased superoxide dismutase and glutathione levels. Alizarin Red S staining shows the ossification center of the fetuses to see developmental abnormality. CONCLUSION: Gestational stress causes placental dysfunctions by triggering apoptosis, reducing the labyrinth zone as well as increasing collagen levels, which may impair fetal development that may contribute to pathogenesis of intrauterine growth restriction.