Objective: To identify the effects of infant formula on the reproductive development of Spraque-Dawley rats.
Methods: A two-generation reproductive test was carried out. Forty 4 week-old SD rats were divided into two groups randomly by body weight and maintained on diet containing a kind of infant formula or an adjusted basal feeds. The body weight, dietary intake, hormone level, function of reproductive organs, and the development status of the P generation rats and F1 generation rats were measured.
Results: No significant growth-promoting effect was observed in the infant formula group; and no impairment on reproductive organ development or development status in the P generation and F1 generation rats was caused by the infant formula. The body weight at the 14th day of gestation and at the 0th and 4th day of lactation in infant formula group was significantly lower than that in control group (P < 0.05). The level of prolactin was significantly lower in the infant formula group. The AGD of F2a female rats was significantly shorter in the infant formula group.
Conclusion: There was few effect of the infant formula on the reproductive development of SD rats, further study is required to determine the effects of infant formula on the body weight change during gestation period and lactation period, AGD and prolactin level.