An in vivo teratology screen utilizing pregnant mice.

Twenty-eight compounds of known teratogenic potential were assayed by an in vivo screening procedure. Postnatal growth and viability of prenatally exposed offspring was used as a measure of developmental toxicity. Gravid CD-1 mice were administered maximum tolerated doses of the compounds for up to 5 consecutive days during the period of major organogenesis. The dams were allowed to give birth, and litter size and weight on postpartum d 1 and 3 were recorded and compared with concurrent controls. All 15 compounds that were teratogenic by standard teratology test criteria exhibited some form of developmental toxicity. Four chemicals known to produce only fetal toxicity (reduced weight or supernumerary ribs) were tested and the screen successfully identified those that reduced weight. Finally, of the 9 compounds that show no effect in standard tests, 6 were also negative in the screen and 3 demonstrated either reduced viability or weight.