Table 4.

Fetal and placental weight and fetal organ weight of rats fed either maternal low-protein (MLP) diet or control diet^§

(Mean values with their standard errors)

				Fetal wt (g)∥		Placental wt (g)¶		Fetal/placental ratio**		Liver (% body wt)		Heart (% body wt)		Kidney (% body wt)††
Gestation (d)	Maternal diet	Sex	n	Mean	sem	Mean	sem	Mean	sem	Mean	sem	Mean	sem	Mean	sem
18	Control	Male	49	1·48	0·04	0·50	0·01	3·01	0·06	7·09	0·14	0·65	0·02	0·40	0·01
		Female	52	1·47	0·04	0·49	0·01	3·08	0·08	7·17	0·15	0·63	0·02	0·38	0·01
	MLP	Male	52	1·44	0·04	0·46*	0·01	3·25	0·10	7·36	0·17	0·62	0·02	0·38	0·01
		Female	58	1·44	0·03	0·45*	0·01	3·24	0·08	7·55	0·21	0·63	0·02	0·39	0·01
20	Control	Male	60	3·60†	0·08	0·60†	0·02	6·23†	0·20	5·75	0·18	0·61	0·02	0·48†	0·01
		Female	50	3·60†	0·09	0·65†	0·02	5·86†‡	0·24	6·04	0·19	0·64	0·01	0·52†	0·01
	MLP	Male	38	3·80†	0·12	0·61†	0·01	6·36†	0·24	6·17	0·22	0·59	0·01	0·49†	0·01
		Female	33	3·55†	0·12	0·61†*	0·01	5·87†‡	0·21	6·23	0·24	0·59	0·02	0·51†	0·01

^*Mean values were significantly different from those of the control group at same age: P<0·05.

^†Mean values were significantly different from those of day 18 gestation within the same maternal dietary group: P<0·05.

^‡Mean values were significantly different between males and females of same age and dietary group: P<0·05.

^§For details of procedures, see pp. 579–580. Fetal and placental weight data are adjusted for litter size and position in the uterine horn and analysed using litter of origin as a covariate.

^∥Fetal weight was influenced by gestation (P<0·001).

^¶Placental weight was influenced by gestation (P<0·001) and maternal diet (P=0·007).

^**Fetal/placental ratio was influenced by gestation (P<0·001) and the interaction of sex and gestation (P=0·056).

^††Kidney to body weight ratio varied with gestation (P<0·001).