Effect of bee pollen on maternal nutrition and fetal growth
Xie, Y.; Wan, B.; Li, W.
Hua Xi Yi Ke Da Xue Xue Bao 25(4): 434-437
1994
ISSN/ISBN: 0257-7712 PMID: 7744390 Document Number: 424166
Plant pollen collected by the honeybee is called bee pollen, which is a natural nutrient. We studied the effects of the bee pollen of Brassia campestres L. on maternal nutrition and fetal growth. Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats at O-d were divided randomly into three groups. The control group (C) was fed with a diet. The other two groups (A) and (B) were fed with the diet plus bee pollen 20g/kg cntdot d-1 and 10g/ kg cntdot d-1, respectively. All the dams in each group took a diet and drank water and libitum. Pollen-fed dams in both groups (A) and (B) had greater body weight and higher levels of haemoglobin, total protein, serum iron and albumin (P lt 0.01, P lt 0.05). Fetuses of pollen-fed dams had greater body weight (P lt 0.01) and lower death rate (P lt 0.005). No gross external, visceral and skeletal malformations were observed in the fetuses. These results suggested that bee pollen could improve maternal nutrition without affecting normal fetal development. It is a practical and effective nutrient during pregnancy.