72 EFFECTS OF A PRECONCEPTIONAL AND GESTATIONAL MULTI-VITAMIN-MINERAL-OMEGA3 SUPPLEMENTATION ON FETOPLACENTAL DEVELOPMENT IN A RABBIT MODEL
E. Mourier A D , A. Tarrade A D , D. Ralliard-Rousseau A D , T. Larcher B , J.-P. Albert C , M.-C. Aubrière A D , M. Dahirel A D , C. Richard A D , R. Lévy E and P. Chavatte-Palmer A DA INRA, UMR 1198 Biologie du Développement et Reproduction, Jouy en Josas, France;
B INRA, UMR 703 Panther, Nantes, France;
C INRA, UCEA, Jouy en Josas, France;
D PremUp Foundation, Paris, France;
E Université Paris 13, INRA, UMR UREN, Bobigny, France
Reproduction, Fertility and Development 26(1) 150-150 https://doi.org/10.1071/RDv26n1Ab72
Published: 5 December 2013
Abstract
The developmental origins of health and disease concept stipulates that nutritional imbalance in the preconceptional and gestational periods induces risks for the development and long-term health of the individual. In industrialized countries, most women take nutritional supplements before and during pregnancy, regardless of their diet. Potentially harmful embryonic and fetal effects of an excess multi-micronutrient supplementation, however, are not known. The objective of this study was to assess, using a rabbit model, the effects of a multi-vitamin-mineral-omega 3 supplementation (Gestarelle® G) administered in slight excess during preconceptional and gestational periods. Twenty-seven New Zealand does were used. Supplementation contained vitamins (B1, B2, B5, B6, B8, B9, B12, C, E), minerals (magnesium, iron, copper, iodine), and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA; namely DHA and EPA) in the form of oral capsules administered daily from 10 days before mating until the end of pregnancy. Group 1X posology allometrically matched that used in humans (n = 10), representing an excess of 6 to 50% of rabbit needs. Group 3X rabbits received 3 times the recommended posology (n = 9; 18 to 150% of rabbit needs), whereas the control group received capsules containing only excipient (n = 8). Embryo and fetoplacental development was monitored by transabdominal two- and three-dimensional ultrasound and Doppler on Days 5, 7, 14, 21, and 28 with 5 conceptuses per doe examined each time. Does were killed on Day 28 (term = 31 days), 24 h after the last capsule administration. Maternal and fetal blood, as well as placenta and fetal organs, were collected. Data were analysed by ANOVA and Kruskall-Wallis as appropriate. The n-3 PUFA plasma concentrations increased in the 3X does (P < 0.01). Fetal plasma concentrations were increased only in males in the 1X group (P < 0.001) and both in females and males in the 3X group (P < 1e–15). No statistical differences were observed between treatments for any of the ultrasound or Doppler analyses. In total, 208 fetuses were collected with no difference in litter size, sex ratio, nor biometric measurements between groups. No structural anomaly was observed by histological analysis of fetal organs. In conclusion, multi-vitamin-mineral-omega 3 supplementation administered during the preconceptional and gestational periods in a rabbit model in the present study and within the measured parameters had no deleterious effect for dam and conceptuses at 1 and 3 times the recommended posology. Further work is on-going to study the effects on fetal brain development. Further studies are needed to evaluate putative post-natal effects.
This study was funded by IPRAD Santé Laboratories, Paris, France.
