GESTATIONAL  MATERNAL UNDERNUTRITION SEVERELY EFFECTS THE RABBIT FETAL  DEVELOPMENT (Oryctolagus cuniculus):     MORPHOMETRIC PERSPECTIVE

This experiment was conducted to determine the effects of gestational maternal under-nutrition on morphometric dynamics in rabbit fetuses. Adult pregnant healthy female rabbits (n= 40) were divided into under-nourished (UNG) and well-nourished (WNG) groups. Pregnant animals, from every group (n= 5), were sacrificed, at weekly time intervals (second week, third week, fourth week, and parturition). The least fetal weight was found in UNG fetuses at 2 week (6.76±0.86 g) of pregnancy and highest in WNG fetuses at birth (43.16±0.77 g). The minimum (0.05±0.007 g) and maximum (0.42±0.007 g) mean fetal heart weights were found in UNG fetuses at 2 week and WNG fetuses at birth, respectively. The lowest fetal heart length (1719.3±181.39 um) and width (864.6±151.23 um) were found in UNG fetuses at 2 week of pregnancy and the highest (8241.4±107.31 um, 6510.7±83.47 um) in WNG fetuses at birth, respectively. The lowest thoraco-abdominal length was recorded in UNG fetuses at 2 week of pregnancy (2.26±0.07 cm) and highest in WNG fetuses at birth (5.41±0.08 cm). The lowest biparietal diameter was recorded in UNG fetuses at 2 week of development (0.53±0.01 cm) and highest in WNG fetuses at birth (1.89±0.01 cm). The lowest mean value of crown rump length was observed in UNG fetuses at 2 week of development (4.41±0.17 cm), and highest in WNG fetuses at birth (9.73±0.15 cm). In conclusion, maternal undernutrition and developmental age significantly affected the morphometric parameters. Maternal undernutrition had an adverse effect while developmental age increased the morphometric values.