| Diet | Gestational age (n = 7-9) | Statistical significance | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |  | 5 | 10 | 15 | 20 | GA | Diet | GA* Diet |
Body weight (g) | Control | 257.3 ± 10.7d | 312.8 ± 6.2c | 325.3 ± 12.1b | 372.8 ± 15.0a | P < 0.001 | NS | NS |
 | Low protein | 277.8 ± 8.2d | 302.6 ± 10.7c | 347.3 ± 7.4b | 346.7 ± 12.8a |  |  |  |
Pregnancy weight gain (g) | Control | 26.2 ± 2.0d | 63.8 ± 6.8c | 82.7 ± 7.2b | 137.3 ± 7.9a | P < 0.05 | NS | NS |
 | Low protein | 19.8 ± 3.0d | 60.4 ± 6.3c | 90.2 ± 5.2b | 122.7 ± 13.2a |  |  |  |
Kidney weight (g) | Control | 1.04 ± 0.04b | 1.10 ± 0.04 | 1.10 ± 0.04a | 1.11 ± 0.06 | P < 0.05 | NS | NS |
 | Low protein | 0.88 ± 0.11b | 1.11 ± 0.05 | 1.14 ± 0.04a | 0.97 ± 0.05 |  |  |  |
Urine volume (ml/24 hour) | Control | 18.3 ± 3.5 | 26.09 ± 4.7 | 22.4 ± 5.6 | 29.5 ± 7.4 | NS | NS | NS |
 | Low protein | 18.2 ± 2.9 | 26.6 ± 6.7 | 21.4 ± 3.1 | 20.5 ± 6.0 |  |  |  |
Litter size (pups/litter) | Control |  |  | 15 ± 1 | 14 ± 1 | NS | NS | NS |
 | Low protein |  |  | 14.0 ± 1 | 14 ± 1 |  |  |  |
Mean fetal weight (g) | Control |  |  | 0.30 ± 0.01 | 3.66 ± 0.11 | NS | NS | NS |
 | Low protein |  |  | 0.29 ± 0.01 | 3.37 ± 0.13 |  |  |  |
Mean placental weight (g) | Control |  |  | 0.22 ± 0.01 | 0.51 ± 0.03 | NS | NS | NS |
 | Low protein |  |  | 0.22 ± 0.01 | 0.53 ± 0.07 |  |  |  |
Red blood cells (106/ml) | Control | 6.0 ± 0.7 | 6.3 ± 0.7 | 6.6 ± 0.3 | 6.5 ± 0.2 | NS | NS | NS |
 | Low protein | 7.4 ± 0.1 | 6.9 ± 0.1 | 6.7 ± 0.2 | 6.3 ± 0.2 |  |  |  |
Haemoglobin (g/dL) | Control | 11.3 ± 1.3 | 11.8 ± 1.3 | 12.4 ± 0.5 | 11.9 ± 0.4 | NS | NS | NS |
 | Low protein | 13.9 ± 0.2 | 13.0 ± 0.3 | 12.6 ± 0.2 | 11.6 ± 0.3 |  |  |  |
Haematocrit (%) | Control | 30.6 ± 3.6 | 31.6 ± 3.6 | 33.3 ± 1.8 | 32.6 ± 1.2 | NS | NS | NS |
 | Low protein | 37.8 ± 0.5 | 35.3 ± 0.7 | 33.8 ± 0.5 | 31.3 ± 0.9 |  |  |  |