The Influence of Hypoxia during Different Pregnancy Stages on Cardiac Collagen Accumulation in the Adult Offspring

We evaluated whether the timing of maternal hypoxia during pregnancy influenced cardiac extracellular matrix accumulation in the adult offspring. Rats in different periods of pregnancy were assigned to maternal hypoxia or control groups. Maternal hypoxia from day 3 to 21 of pregnancy or day 9 to 21 of pregnancy increased collagen I and collagen III expression in the left ventricle of adult offspring (both P < 0.05). Maternal hypoxia from day 15 to 21 of pregnancy had no effect on adult collagen levels. Our results indicate that maternal hypoxia at critical windows of cardiovascular development can induce pathological cardiac remodeling in the adult rat offspring.