Effect of third degree burn injury on ovarian histology and hormonal milieu in female Wistar rats

Abstract

Studies have shown that severe burns affect male fertility through hormonal

disequilibrium while similar cases in female are poorly understood. Therefore,

in the present investigation we set out to study how third degree burn

(TDB) disrupts ovarian histology and hormonal milieu. Fifteen adult female

albino Wistar rats, weighs 150 – 200g were used in the experiment. They

were divided in three groups (control, sham and experimental) containing

five rats in each group. TDB was induced on 30% of the total body surface

area of experimental animals while the sham group had 30% of their total

body surface area shaved and exposed to warm water at room temperature.

The resulted observations showed that TDB cause significant decline in FSH

levels with elevation of prolactin; thereby altering the pituitary function via

interference in signaling pathway. It altered the stress center of brain, controlling

secretion of gonadotropin releasing hormone thus causing irregularity

of the estrous cycle, delayed ovarian maturation and rapid degeneration

of ovarian follicles.