Earlier preterm birth is associated with a worse neurocognitive outcome in a rabbit model.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Preterm birth (PTB) and particularly late preterm PTB has become a research focus for obstetricians, perinatologists, neonatologists, pediatricians and policy makers alike. Translational models are useful tools to expedite and guide clinical but presently no model exists that contextualizes the late PTB scenario. Herein we aimed to develop a rabbit model that echo's the clinical neurocognitive phenotypes of early and late PTB.

Methods

Time mated rabbit does underwent caesarean delivery at a postconceptional age (PCA) of either 28 (n = 6), 29 (n = 5), 30 (n = 4) or 31 (n = 4) days, term = 31 d. Newborn rabbits were mixed and randomly allocated to be raised by cross fostering and underwent short term neurobehavioral testing on corrected post-natal day 1. Open field

SUBMITTER: van der Merwe J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7840009 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature