The present study investigates the effects of different doses of "trichloroethylene" TCE on pregnancy, early embryos on days 6 and 8 of pregnancy. The experimental females (90 virgin females) were divided into three groups; the first one (C) was the control that treated with the solvent only (corn oil), the second (G1) and the third (G2) treated groups with low (24 mg/kg) and high (240 mg/kg) dose of TCE, respectively. Oral administration of TCE to female mice once daily for a period of 21 days before mating and till 5 th and 7 th day of pregnancy, caused a significant decrease in the body weight for non-pregnant females and weight gain for pregnant females. The percentage of survival, mating and abortion were also significantly decreased by TCE treatment for pregnant females. Histological examination for the obtained 6 and 8 day mice embryos from treated mothers showed some histopathological alterations in compared with the normal control embryos. These alterations indicated that TCE treatment resulted in retarded, delayed and deformed embryos. The results suggest that TCE has teratogenic and embryo toxic effects on the early development of mice embryos following a short-term of exposure.

Abstract:The present study investigates the effects of different doses of "trichloroethylene" TCE on the axial and appendicular skeleton of day 18 mice fetuses maternally treated with TCE. The experimental females (90 virgin females) were divided into three groups; the first one (G1) was the control that treated with the solvent only (corn oil), the second (G2) and the third (G3) treated groups with low (24 mg/kg) and high (240 mg/kg) doses of TCE, respectively. Oral administration of TCE to female mice once daily for a period of 21 days before mating and till 17 th day of pregnancy, caused a significant decrease in the body weight and body length of treated fetuses. Stereoscopic examination for the obtained 18 th day fetuses showed severe skeletal alterations included incomplete ossification for some bones of skull, vertebrae, fore and hind limbs and significant reduction in the length of most long bones of both limbs. These alterations indicated that TCE treatment induced growth retardation confirmed by great reduction in body weight and body length. The results suggest that TCE has teratogenic effects on maternally treated 18-day-old albino mice fetuses.