Prenatal stress disrupts reproductive function in females and males. These alterations have primarily been related to maternal corticosteroid fetal programming due to the stress response, affecting the fetus and causing long-lasting effects. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of prenatal stress on male and female fertility. Dams were exposed to stress by immersion in cold water twice a day for the last week of gestation (days 15–21). In the adulthood, sperm quality, mature follicles, sexual hormones and fertility were assessed in female and male progeny. The results in prenatally stressed females showed lower body weight, longer estrous cycles, lower estradiol and progesterone, and lower number of pups. In prenatally stressed males, lower body weight, increased testicular cell death, as well as decreased testosterone levels, sperm quality, and fertility were observed. Aside from these effects, corticosterone levels in prenatally stressed males and females increased. These results show that prenatal stress can markedly influence infertility in adult female and male progeny.

Abbreviations: 3β-HSD: 3β hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase; CRH: corticotropin releasing hormone; DEX: dexamethasone; ERα: estrogen receptor alpha; H-E: hematoxylin-eosine; HPA: hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal; KISS: Kisspeptin; ORW: ovarian relative weight; PBS: phosphates; PS: prenatally stressed; PRW: prostatic relative weight; ROS: reactive oxygen species; SRW: seminal relative weight; TdT: terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase; TUNEL: terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP Nick-end labelling; TRW: testicular relative weight; URW: uterine relative weight

产前压力破坏了男性和女性的生殖功能。由于应激反应，这些改变主要与母体皮质类固醇胎儿编程有关，影响胎儿并引起长期影响。这项研究的目的是调查产前压力对男性和女性生育能力的影响。在妊娠的最后一周（第15-21天），每天两次将大坝浸入冷水中，使其承受压力。在成年期，对雌性和雄性后代的精子质量，成熟卵泡，性激素和生育能力进行了评估。产前压力大的女性的结果显示出较低的体重，较长的发情周期，较低的雌二醇和孕酮以及较低的幼崽数量。在产前紧张的男性中，体重降低，睾丸细胞死亡增加以及睾丸激素水平降低，观察精子质量和生育能力。除了这些影响外，在产前紧张的男性和女性中，皮质酮水平也有所增加。这些结果表明，产前压力可以显着影响成年雌性和雄性后代的不育。

缩写：3β-HSD：3β羟类固醇脱氢酶；CRH：促肾上腺皮质激素释放激素；DEX：地塞米松；ERα：雌激素受体α；HE：苏木精-曙红；HPA：下丘脑-垂体-肾上腺；吻：吻肽素；ORW：卵巢相对体重；PBS：磷酸盐；PS：产前压力大；PRW：前列腺相对体重；ROS：活性氧；SRW：主要相对体重；TdT：末端脱氧核苷酸转移酶；TUNEL：末端脱氧核苷酸转移酶dUTP尼克末端标记；TRW：睾丸相对重量；URW：子宫相对体重