ABSTRACT

To investigate the possible effect of intestinal obstruction on the offspring of lactating mothers.

Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were used. Partial intestinal obstruction was induced on days 7 and 14 days of lactation. Surgery was performed on control animals without causing any obstruction. Then, 14 and 21 days after these applications, ileum tissue samples were taken from the animals and prepared for electron microscopic investigations. Thick sections were stained with toluidine blue and investigated under a light microscope; thin sections were stained with uranyl acetatelead citrate and investigated under an electron microscope (Carl Zeiss EM900).

When compared with the control group, degeneration of the microvillus structure, mitochondrial swelling and appearance of giant vacuoles on the surface absorptive cells were detected in the offspring of rats with intestinal obstruction. These structural changes increased with the increasing duration of obstruction. Muscle structure seemed to be normal.

The offspring of lactating rats may be affected by obstruction induced in the mothers, which could cause deterioration of the absorption mechanism.