Postnatal development of prenatally irradiated swine

The effects of ionizing radiations on developing mammalian organisms and the expression of these effects of birth or in later life are of great interest. Work at other laboratories with mice and rats and in this laboratory with rats as shown that exposure of the pregnant females to ionizing radiations may result in death, anatomical defects and lowered viability of the irradiated progeny. It is known that the type of damage produced is dependent on the stage of gestation at time of exposure and the amount of radiation received by the organism.

Little work has been done with large animals since facilities are not readily available to most workers. Comparable studies with large animals, though, is of great interest because of the possibilities of studying species differences, the effects of tissue shielding, animals with longer gestation periods and the possible implications to humans.

This study was initiated to obtain information on the effects of prenatal irradiation on postnatal viability, growth and sexual development in swine.