Morphometric study of cerebrum in fetuses of diabetic mothers

In pregnant mothers maternal diabetes happens when the pancreas cannot produce enough insulin, soblood glucose increases in the mother and then in the fetus, resulting in several injuries in neonates. Thisstudy was conducted to evaluate the effects of maternal diabetes on fetal cerebrum. Sixteen adult female rats were divided in two equal groups. Diabetes was induced in one group by alloxan. Both groups becamepregnant by natural mating. At days 17, 18, 19 and 20 of pregnancy, the cerebrum was collected from thefetuses of all rats, also the body weight and number of fetuses was measured. Various histological parameters were determined using routine histological techniques. Results revealed a significant decrease in the ratio of gray matter to white matter and also the number of cells in gray matter and white matter in all days. There was also a significant decrease in thickness of gray matter at day 20 of pregnancy in the cerebrum of fetuses of diabetic mothers (FDM) as compared with the control group. The body weight of FDM was significantly (P