Magnesium Depletion during Gestation and Lactation in Rats

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Abstract
To investigate effects of magnesium depletion during gestation and lactation female Sprague-Dawley rats were fed diets containing 0.008 or 0.080% magnesium. Consumption of the low magnesium diet during pregnancy resulted in a high incidence of still births and over 90% mortality of live offspring during the first week post partum. Litter size was not affected, but body weights and magnesium content of offspring were significantly reduced. When fed during lactation, the deficient diet caused deaths in five of nine dams. At time of death, or when killed on day 21 of lactation, all dams had lost body weight and showed decreased levels of blood and bone magnesium. Weanling offspring were markedly underweight and low in serum and carcass magnesium. Milk samples obtained from deficient dams on day 21 of lactation were low in magnesium and showed a reduced rate of 14C-valine uptake into protein. Maternal depletion during pregnancy affected condition of offspring most severely; depletion during lactation had more serious effects on maternal condition.