iloprost and Birth-Weight

Recently we reported that iloprost, a stable analogue of prostacyclin, enhanced mouse embryo hatching. Here we present a follow-up study to determine whether exposure to iloprost augments the implantation and live birth potentials of mouse embryos.. Two-cell embryos (C3B6F1) were harvested 42 h after HCG injection and cultured in medium supplemented with iloprost. After 48 h, the embryos were transferred to 2.5 day pseudopregnant gestational carriers. The number of gestation sacs was counted 72 h later; the number of live pups and the weight of pups and placentae were determined 14 days later. The implantation rate was defined as gestation sac per embryo transferred; the live birth rate was defined as live pup per embryo transferred.. The prostacyclin analogue enhanced the implantation rate from 42 to 76% [relative risk 1.84, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.38-2.43]. The rate of live pups also increased from 28 to 36% (relative risk 1.28, 95% CI 1.04-1.56). The weights of the pups and of the placentae of the two groups were comparable.. Prostacyclin enhances the potentials of implantation and live birth of mouse embryos.

Topics: Animals; Animals, Newborn; Birth Weight; Embryo Implantation; Epoprostenol; Female; Iloprost; Mice; Mice, Inbred Strains; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Outcome; Vasodilator Agents

Prostacyclin (PGI2) receptors were studied in platelet membrane preparations from women with normal pregnancy, pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) or pre-eclampsia. Patient groups showed no differences in gestational week at delivery. A markedly lower birth weight, however, was found in pre-eclampsia. No differences between groups could be detected in platelet PGI2 receptor number. In contrast, the binding affinity to the PGI2 mimetic iloprost was considerably reduced in pre-eclampsia, whereas receptor affinity between PIH and normal pregnancy did not differ significantly.

Topics: Adult; Birth Weight; Blood Platelets; Epoprostenol; Female; Humans; Hypertension; Iloprost; Infant, Newborn; Pre-Eclampsia; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular; Protein Binding; Receptors, Epoprostenol; Receptors, Prostaglandin