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Maternal hypothyroidism prolongs gestation period and impairs glucose tolerance in offspring of Wistar rats

  • Ubong Edem David , Jerome Ndudi Asiwe ORCID logo EMAIL logo and Adesoji Adedipe Fasanmade
Published/Copyright: December 16, 2021

Abstract

Objectives

Pregnancy is a critical period keenly regulated by both maternal and foetal factors and a shift in these factors could result in severe complications manifesting in foetal and adult life. However, maternal hypothyroidism before and/or during pregnancy is a critical factor. This study investigated the effect of maternal hypothyroidism on glucose tolerance and thyroid function in male and female offspring.

Methods

Fifteen adult female Wistar rats were divided into three groups: Group 1 (sham-control), Group 2 (thyrodectomized) and Group 3 (thyroidectomised + L-thyroxine treated). Blood thyroxine (T4) level was measured on the day 10 after thyroidectomy in Groups 1 and 2, and day 35 in Group 3. Males were introduced to the female rats after T4 measurement. At PND-112, T4 levels of their offspring were measured. Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) was measured in offspring at PND-133.

Results

Thyroxine reduced significantly in Group 2 and their offspring (male and female) compared to Group 3 while gestation period was prolonged significantly in Group 2 compared to Group 1. Hypothyroid male offspring showed depressed glucose tolerance, however, no effect was observed in female offspring.

Conclusions

This study suggests that maternal hypothyroidism prolonged gestation period, induced foetal hypothyroidism in both genders and depressed glucose tolerance in male offspring.


Corresponding author: Jerome Ndudi Asiwe, Department of Physiology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria; and Department of Physiology, PAMO University of Medical Sciences, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria, Phone: +234 8163727468, E-mail:

  1. Research funding: None declared.

  2. Author contributions: All authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this manuscript and approved its submission.

  3. Competing interests: Authors state no conflict of interest.

  4. Informed consent: Informed consent was obtained from all individuals included in this study.

  5. Ethical approval: The local Institutional Review Board deemed the study exempt from review.

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Received: 2021-08-01
Accepted: 2021-12-03
Published Online: 2021-12-16

© 2021 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston

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