Postnatal development of young rats following the treatment of the dams with sodium salicylate during late periods of pregnancy

Female albino rats were treated with sodium salicylate dissolved in tap water orally by intubation. The first group received daily doses of 25, 75 or 150 mg/kg from day 15 through day 20 of pregnancy. The second group received daily doses of 4.2, 12.5 or 25 mg/kg on day 20 and on day 21, i.e. the day of parturition. Administration of the intermediate and high doses caused a marked increase in the mortality rates of the young animals. However, the development of the surviving young rats was similar to the controls and no change in behaviour was noted.