Summary
Pregnant mice were exposed to ultrasound (continuous wave, 2 MHz) on Day 8 of gestation to determine effects on the progeny. The most significant finding was a decrease in mean uterine weight of the female progeny. The thresholds for this effect were 140 s at 0.5 W/cm2 and 60 s at 1 W/cm2, which were below the thresholds previously reported for other effects in mice. We suggest that this indicates a delay or impairment of maturation of the mice exposed in utero.
Exposure of the dams to spatial average intensity of 1 W/cm2 for 40 and 60 s had no effect on body weight of the progeny, compared with sham-treated controls. In this experiment the body weights of progeny from sham-treated controls were significantly lower than those from untreated controls on Days 10, 17, and 25 of age. After exposure in utero to 0.5 W/cm2 for 180 s, statistically significant decreases in mean body weights of the neonates were observed, but only on Day 25 of age, in both sexes compared with sham-treated controls. At necropsy at Day 25 of age, neonatal organ weights relative to body weights were not significantly affected for the thymus in either sex or for the seminal vesicles and testes in comparison with sham-treated controls.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Edmonds, P. D., Stolzenberg, S. J., Torbit, C. A., Madan, S. M., Pratt, D. E.: Postpartum survival of mice exposed in utero to ultrasound. J. Acoust. Soc. Amer.66, 590–593 (1979)
Fry, F. K., Erdman, W. A., Johnson, L. K., Baird, A. I.: Ultrasonic toxicity study. Ultrasound Med. Biol.3, 351–366 (1978)
Glick, D., Adamovics, A., Edmonds, P. D., Taenzer, J. C.: Search for biochemical effects in cells and tissues of ultrasonic irradiation of mice and of the in vitro irradiation of mouse peritoneal and human amniotic cells. Ultrasound Med. Biol.5, 23–33 (1979)
Gorski, R. A.: The neuroendocrinology of reproduction: an overview. Biol. Reprod.20, 111–127 (1979)
Gorski, R. A., Barraclough, C. A.: Effects of low dosages of androgen on the differentiation of the hypothalmic regulatory control of ovulation in the rat. Endocrinology73, 210–216 (1963)
Holzemer, J. F., Taenzer, J. C., Havlice, J. F., Ramsey, S. D., Green, P. S.: A facility for the investigation of the bioeffects of ultrasound. In: Ultrasound in Medicine, Vol. 3B, pp. 1995–1998. White, D. N., Brown, R. E. (eds.). New York: Plenum Press 1977
O'Brien, W. D.: Ultrasonically induced fetal weight reduction of mice. In: Ultrasound in Medicine, Vol. 2, pp. 531–532. White, D. N., Barnes, R. W. (eds.). New York: Plenum Press 1976
Ramirez, V. D., Sawyer, C. H.: Changes in lutenizing hormone releasing factor in the female rat during puberty. Endocrinology78, 958–964 (1966)
Stolzenberg, S. J., Torbit, C. A., Edmonds, P. D., Taenzer, J. C.: Effects of ultrasound on the mouse exposed at different stages of gestation: Acute studies. Radiat. Environ. Biophys.17, 245–270 (1980)
Stolzenberg, S. J., Edmonds, P. D., Torbit, C. A., Sasmore, D. P.: Toxicity of ultrasound: Damage to the central and autonomic nervous systems due to ultrasonic exposure of mice. Toxicol. Appl. Phamacol. [in press] (1980b)
Stratmeyer, M. E., Simmons, L. R., Pinkavitch, F. Z., Jessup, G. L., O'Brien, W. D.: Growth and development of mice exposed in utero to ultrasound. Symp. on Biological Effects and Characterizations of Ultrasound Sources. DHEWPublication (FDA) 78-8048, 1977
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Stolzenberg, S.J., Torbit, C.A., Pryor, G.T. et al. Toxicity of ultrasound in mice: Neonatal studies. Radiat Environ Biophys 18, 37–44 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01324372
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01324372