Comparative Histological Study on the Effect of Pregnancy on the Stomach and Small Intestine in Wistar Rats
[1]
Otamere H. O, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Nigeria.
[2]
Aloamaka C. P., Department of Physiology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria.
[3]
Onyesom I, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria.
[4]
Aigbiremolen A, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Nigeria.
The aim of this study is to compare the histology of the stomach and intestine in non-pregnant Wistar rats and rats in the different trimesters of pregnancy. Twenty-four adult female Wistar rats were used in this study. They were classified into four groups of six each, fed normal rat chow and water ad libitum throughout the study. Group I served as the control and consisted of non-pregnant rats. Group II, III and IV were pregnant rats in their 1st, 2nd and 3rd trimesters respectively. At the end of each trimester, rats were sacrificed and the stomach and small intestinal tissues were harvested for histological processing. There was no significant difference in the architecture of the stomach in the different trimester of pregnancy when compared to the control. However, there was a progressive reduction in the thickness of the intestinal muscularis propria as pregnancy advances. These finding suggests that pregnancy is not without effect on intestinal motility considering its influence on intestinal muscular propria; known to be associated with its peristaltic movements.
Pregnancy, Stomach, Small Intestine, Histology
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