Biomaterial Database

Relationships of ascorbic acid to pregnancy, and oral contraceptive steroids. 1975

J M Rivers, and M M Devine

The 1974 RDA is 60 mg per day for pregnant women and 80 mg per day for lactating women. In the present study an attempt was made to simulate this intake in the guinea pig and study reproduction performance in relation to guinea pigs fed chronically low and high levels. In animals that conceived and carried the young to term, all 3 dietary levels of ascorbic acid appeared to be adequate for maintaining viability of fetuses and of offspring, and for growth of offspring during the nursing period. The chronically low intake level was not adequate for growth after weaning. The control group was superior to the chronically low-intake group but inferior to the high-intake group in conceiving, producing litters, and carrying litters to term. The level of intake in the control group was inadequate to maintain tissue stores. Even the high intake was inadequate to maintain some tissues at saturation levels. The results suggest that the requirement for ascorbic acid during pregnancy and lactation has been markedly underestimated.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008431	Maternal-Fetal Exchange	Exchange of substances between the maternal blood and the fetal blood at the PLACENTA via PLACENTAL CIRCULATION. The placental barrier excludes microbial or viral transmission.	Transplacental Exposure,Exchange, Maternal-Fetal,Exposure, Transplacental,Maternal Fetal Exchange
D009751	Nutritional Requirements	The amounts of various substances in food needed by an organism to sustain healthy life.	Dietary Requirements,Nutrition Requirements,Dietary Requirement,Nutrition Requirement,Nutritional Requirement,Requirement, Dietary,Requirement, Nutrition,Requirement, Nutritional,Requirements, Dietary,Requirements, Nutrition,Requirements, Nutritional
D010053	Ovary	The reproductive organ (GONADS) in female animals. In vertebrates, the ovary contains two functional parts: the OVARIAN FOLLICLE for the production of female germ cells (OOGENESIS); and the endocrine cells (GRANULOSA CELLS; THECA CELLS; and LUTEAL CELLS) for the production of ESTROGENS and PROGESTERONE.	Ovaries
D010902	Pituitary Gland	A small, unpaired gland situated in the SELLA TURCICA. It is connected to the HYPOTHALAMUS by a short stalk which is called the INFUNDIBULUM.	Hypophysis,Hypothalamus, Infundibular,Infundibular Stalk,Infundibular Stem,Infundibulum (Hypophysis),Infundibulum, Hypophyseal,Pituitary Stalk,Hypophyseal Infundibulum,Hypophyseal Stalk,Hypophysis Cerebri,Infundibulum,Cerebri, Hypophysis,Cerebrus, Hypophysis,Gland, Pituitary,Glands, Pituitary,Hypophyseal Stalks,Hypophyses,Hypophysis Cerebrus,Infundibular Hypothalamus,Infundibular Stalks,Infundibulums,Pituitary Glands,Pituitary Stalks,Stalk, Hypophyseal,Stalk, Infundibular,Stalks, Hypophyseal,Stalks, Infundibular
D011247	Pregnancy	The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH.	Gestation,Pregnancies
D012098	Reproduction	The total process by which organisms produce offspring. (Stedman, 25th ed)	Human Reproductive Index,Human Reproductive Indexes,Reproductive Period,Human Reproductive Indices,Index, Human Reproductive,Indexes, Human Reproductive,Indices, Human Reproductive,Period, Reproductive,Periods, Reproductive,Reproductive Index, Human,Reproductive Indices, Human,Reproductive Periods
D001724	Birth Weight	The mass or quantity of heaviness of an individual at BIRTH. It is expressed by units of pounds or kilograms.	Birthweight,Birth Weights,Birthweights,Weight, Birth,Weights, Birth
D001835	Body Weight	The mass or quantity of heaviness of an individual. It is expressed by units of pounds or kilograms.	Body Weights,Weight, Body,Weights, Body
D001921	Brain	The part of CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM that is contained within the skull (CRANIUM). Arising from the NEURAL TUBE, the embryonic brain is comprised of three major parts including PROSENCEPHALON (the forebrain); MESENCEPHALON (the midbrain); and RHOMBENCEPHALON (the hindbrain). The developed brain consists of CEREBRUM; CEREBELLUM; and other structures in the BRAIN STEM.	Encephalon
D003276	Contraceptives, Oral	Compounds, usually hormonal, taken orally in order to block ovulation and prevent the occurrence of pregnancy. The hormones are generally estrogen or progesterone or both.	Low-Dose Oral Contraceptive,Oral Contraceptive,Oral Contraceptives,Oral Contraceptives, Low-Dose,Oral Contraceptives, Phasic,Contraceptive, Low-Dose Oral,Contraceptive, Oral,Contraceptives, Low-Dose Oral,Contraceptives, Phasic Oral,Low Dose Oral Contraceptive,Low-Dose Oral Contraceptives,Oral Contraceptive, Low-Dose,Oral Contraceptives, Low Dose,Phasic Oral Contraceptives