Prenatal effects of caffeine and restraint stress in mice

The maternal and developmental toxicity of combined exposure to restraint s tress and caffeine was assessed in mice. On Day 9 of gestation, six groups of pregnant mice were treated (p.o.) with a single dose of 30, 60, or 120 m g/kg of caffeine. Immediately after caffeine administration, three of these groups were subjected to restraint for 14 hr. Control groups included unre strained and restrained pregnant mice not exposed to caffeine. An additiona l group of animals (unrestrained and not exposed to caffeine) was deprived of food for 14 hr. A two-way (caffeine dose x restraint) analysis of varian ce revealed an overall effect (reduction) of restraint end caffeine exposur e on maternal body weight gain and food consumption on gestation Days 9-11. Significant reductions were also observed in body weight at termination an d corrected body weight change of dams concurrently exposed to 120 mg/kg of caffeine and restraint. By contrast, no significant effects of caffeine, r estraint, or caffeine plus restraint on embryo/fetal development were noted . The doses of caffeine administered here are much higher than those usuall y consumed by the general population. Under the current experimental condit ions, caffeine alone or combined with restraint stress was not embryotoxic or teratogenic in mice.