Reproductive fertility, infant mortality and haematological response of female Wistar rats intoxicated with lead acetate

Forty (40) adult female wistar rats were used for this study. They were procured from the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, University of Nigeria Nsukka. The wistar rats were three weeks old and had an average weight of 25g. They were divided into two groups (group A and B) replicated four times with 5 rats per replicate. The treated (group A) were dosed with 60mm/kg while the untreated (group B) were not intoxicated with lead acetate (control). The experiment lasted for four months during which the body weights and the haematological parameters of the rats were recorded on monthly basis. At the end of the experiment, the gonads of the wistar rats were decapitated for histological examination. The data collected were subjected to T-test using SPSS version 21. The probability level of P < 0.05 was used to determine the level of significant. The results showed that there were no significant change(s) on the body weights of the female wistar rats. In the haematological indices, the Hb, PCV and RBC had significant (p < 0.05) reduction almost below the normal values while the WBC tend to increase significantly above the control group. The histological examination of the ovary showed that group A (untreated group) had two corpora lutea (CL) which is an evidence of two successful ovulations. While the ovarian tissue of group B (treated group) showed one corpus luteum (CL) which is evidence of one successful ovulation and two atretic follicles which is evidence of arrested follicular development. In reproductive performance of the female wistar rats, there were significant (p<0.05) reduction in the values of Progesterone (pg/ml) where the treated group had (10.29 ± 0.92) and untreated group (17.54 ± 3.18) and in Estradiol (ng/ml), the treated group had (357.74 ± 5.30) and untreated group (382.63 ± 11.87). This study therefore, revealed that lead acetate has some detrimental effects on haematology and reproductive physiology of female wistar rats. It calls for the need to intensify actions or proffer solutions on measures to avoid constant exposure to lead acetate in Africa and the world at large in order to avert its negative consequences.