VOLUMETRICAL OBSERVATION ON THE INFLUENCE OF MATERNAL SHAM HYPOPHYSECTOMY ON THE FETAL ADRENAL GLAND

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Abstract
This report on stressed pregnant animals (Sprague-Dawley rats) was designed to obtain additional evidence of the passage of maternal adrenal steroid hormones across the placental barrier and of the existence of a functional interrelationship between the maternal and fetal pituitary-adrenal axes. It may be concluded that maternal hypophysectomy, when performed at different stages of pregnancy, retards the growth of the maternal adrenals and also the growth of the pituitary and adrenals of the fetus. Sham hypo-physectomized pregnant mothers caused a significant increase of adrenal weight in the mother, and conversely caused a remarkable retardation of development of the fetal adrenals. From these results, it may be suggested that the increased cortical steroid in the circulation of the mother, treated with sham hypophysectomy as stress dose across the placental barrier, enters the fetus and causes an inhibiting effect on development of the pituitary and adrenal of the fetus.

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