Effects of Excessive Amounts of Dietary Iron on Pregnant Rats: Iron, Copper, Zinc, Manganese and Selenium Statuses in Mothers and Fetuses

Abstract

The effects of excessive amounts of dietary iron (Fe) on pregnant rats which were fed adequate and deficient levels of dietary copper (Cu) were investigated to measure trace mineral statuses in the dams and fetuses. Forty female Wistar rats with an average age of 46 days were fed diets containing adequate amounts of Fe and Cu (43mg Fe and 6.0mg Cu/kg), adequate amounts of Fe and deficient amounts of Cu (43mg Fe and 0.6mg Cu/kg), excessive amounts of Fe and adequate amounts of Cu (1165mg Fe and 6.0mg Cu/kg) and excessive amounts of Fe and deficient amounts of Cu (1165mg Fe and 0.6mg Cu/kg) and mated. The rats were killed after a gestation period of 20 days and their blood, livers, kidneys, hearts, spleens, femurs and fetuses were sampled. Excessive amounts of dietary Fe decreased liver and heart weight in dams and increased individual fetal weight. The Fe concentrations in maternal and fetal tissues were increased by the Fe excessive diet. The concentrations of selenium (Se) in maternal livers, manganese (Mn) in maternal livers and hearts, zinc (Zn) in maternal serum and femurs, Se in fetal whole bodies and Mn in fetal whole bobies and livers were decreased by excessive amounts of dietary Fe. Excessive amounts of dietary Fe in the diet did not decrease Cu concentrations in maternal and fetal tissues. The Cu concentrations in maternal and fetal tissues were decreased by deficient levels of dietary Cu. The Cu deficient diet for dams fed excessive amounts of dietary Fe decreased Fe concentrations in maternal serum and fetal whole bodies and livers.