Effectiveness of Vitamin C Consumption In Pregnancy On Dexamethasone Induced Low Birth Weight.

Synthet ic glucocor t icoids, including Dexamethasone have been shown to induce Intra Uterine Growth Retardat ion (IUGR) when administered in the last trimester of pregnancy. This study was designed to investigate the effect of Vitamin C on Dexamethasone induced low birth weight an experimental model using theAlbino rats. Pregnant Sprague Dawley rats were divided into four groups of six rats each; group A- vehicle only, group B- Vitamin C treated (100mg/kg maternal body weight), group C-Dexamethasone treated (bolus dose of 100 micro grams of Dexamethasone/kg maternal body weight on day 13 followed by a daily dose of 200 micro grams/kg maternal body weight from day 14 till delivery) and group D -Dexamethasone and Vitamin C treated (100mg/kg maternal body weight of Vitamin C from day 7 of pregnancy to term; and on day 13 of pregnancy, were injected with a bolus dose of 100 micro grams/kg maternal body weight of Dexamethasone and subsequently a daily dose of 200 micro grams/kg maternal body weight until term). The weight and size of the litters along with the gestation period and weight gain during the period of study were recorded. T h e r e s u l t s s h owe d t h a t t h o u g h Dexamethasone caused low birth weight, Vitamin C had no significant (p>0.05) effect on dexamethasone induced low birth weight, litter size or gestation period. It was hereby concluded that this was probably due to the inability of Vitamin C to influence the mechanisms by which dexamethasone induces low birth weight.