Periplacental hemorrhage and renal necrosis in protein and choline deficient pregnant rats following progesterone administration: A preliminary report

When pregnant rats are given parenteral progesterone late in gestation, about one fourth suffer intrauterine death of their fetuses and/or periplacental hemorrhage, and about one sixth have renal or liver necrosis. All the animals with uterine lesions were fed a diet deficient in choline or qualitatively deficient in protein. Nevertheless, until the effect of progesterone at different and precise times of gestation is known, the effect of defective diets must remain problematical.The similarity of these experimental findings with the condition of human abruptio placentae is pointed out.