Lead exposure on critical days of fetal life affects fertility in the female mouse

Abstract

Female mice were exposed to lead in utero by intravenous injection of lead chloride into the mothers at different stages of pregnancy. At a mature age the mice exposed as fetuses (F1 generation) conceived at a normal rate, but the litter size and fetal survival varied significantly. Small litters and increased numbers of fetal deaths were observed in mice exposed to lead on day 8 of intrauterine life. The live fetuses in this group were normal with respect to weight and morphological appearance. Serum levels of estradiol and progesterone, measured on day 17 of pregnancy, did not differ significantly between F1 mice of a control, unexposed group and of the group exposed to lead on day 8 of intrauterine life. Ovarian follicle counts revealed a significantly smaller number of primordial follicles in the latter group. It is suggested that the exposure to lead at a time of early organogenesis caused the observed fertility decrease by interfering with the development of the female germ cells.