HIGH DOSE PROGESTERONE EFFECTS THE GROWTH OF EARLY CHICK EMBRYO

Progesterone Effects

Abstract

Objective: To find out the effect of high dose progesterone on the development of early chick embryo.
Study Design: Lab based randomized controlled trial.
Place and Duration of Study: This study was carried out in Army Medical College and Post Graduate Institute of Poultry Sciences, Rawalpindi from June 2010 –December 2010.
Material and methods: Forty five specific pathogen free, fertile, eggs of Fyoumi species of chick were selected at zero hour of incubation. They were incubated at 37.5 0C and 75% relative humidity for 26 hrs until the embryos reached stage 8 of the development. Then on stage 8 the eggs were divided into three groups consisting of 15 eggs per group. The first group (G1) was incubated without any operation. The second (G2) and third groups (G3) were injected with two and twenty times more than physiologic doses of progesterone respectively. After 48 hours of incubation, all embryos were examined for their development under light microscopy.
Results: All the embryos of G1 and G2 showed normal development according to their stage of development, while 4 out of 11 embryos of G3 were under developed and their survival rate was also less.
Conclusion: Exogenous progesterone at levels twenty times above its physiologic range effects the development of chick embryos. Further studies are needed to explain the mechanisms of this effect.