The partition of nutrients between mother and conceptuses in the pregnant rat

Abstract

SUMMARY1. Diminishing the food supply to pregnant rats was associated with a subnormal degree of foetal loss among the larger litters, but a greatly lowered intake increased this foetal loss.2. Whether the food intake was lowered, normal or increased, the increase in conceptus weight over the last half of pregnancy could be related to the total maternal weight increase over this period by the formula y = ix + 4-5n, where n was the number of foetuses.3. With values of x below 20 g, this no longer held, but y never fell below 4.5 (n + 1).4. It is concluded that Hammond's theory of the partition of nutrients is confirmed, so far as mother and conceptuses are concerned, in the rat.

Nutrition and Pregnancy

“…This possibility contrasts with current ideas that the division of nutrients between the mother and the conceptus is mainly regulated by metabolic needs. This hypothesis has been directly tested only once, however (Frazer and Huggett, 1970). In this study, a group of pregnant rats were either underfed by an overall reduction in food intake or "overfed" by growth hormone administration along with a standard diet fed ad libitum.…”

The Accumulation of Amino Acids in the Products of Conception of the Rat and in the Young Animal after Birth

“…At the same time it seemed desirable to add to the body of general observations of the growth of the foetus [Stotsenburg,1915;McLar en, 1965;Sirov and T homas, 1970] some detailed information of the partitioning and accretion of amino acids in the conceptus and to consi der these in their quantitative relation to their effect on the maternal or ganism [Frazer and H uggett, 1970]. It was decided also to compare the accretion during the week before birth with that during the week afterwards.…”

Influence of a 60 Hz, 3 μT, electromagnetic field on the reflex maturation of wistar rats offspring from mothers fed a regional basic diet during pregnancy

“…The pregnant rats were fed casein or RBD when they presented a positive test for pregnancy. According to Frazer and Huggett (1970), the fetus competes with the mother for the nutrients, but only for those that are ingested and stored throughout the pregnancy. They do not compete for those already absorbed by the mother's tissues at the moment of the conception.…”