Objective: To determine whether N-acetylcysteine attenuates abnormal changes in the reduced uterine perfusion pressure model.
Study design: Twenty-four timed-pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats underwent sham surgery or the reduced uterine perfusion pressure procedure on day 15 of 22. Reduced uterine perfusion pressure animals were treated with N-acetylcysteine (100 mg/kg) or saline twice daily until delivery. On day 21 of 22, mean arterial pressure was determined and maternal tissue was collected and stored. Pups and pup brains were weighed. Statistical analysis was performed using 1-way analysis of variance and the Tukey-Kramer test with significance at P < .05.
Results: There was a significant increase in blood pressure with the reduced uterine perfusion pressure procedure (P = .016), which was alleviated by N-acetylcysteine (P = .044). There was a significant decrease in pup weight and brain weight with the reduced uterine perfusion pressure procedure (P = .043 and P = .046, respectively). N-acetylcysteine restored pup brain weight (P = .021) but had no significant effect on pup weight.
Conclusion: N-acetylcysteine reduced blood pressure without adversely effecting fetal weight.