Effects of Methotrexat on the chromosomes of a human fetus in vivo
Hole, H.; Choi, G.H.; Spahlinger, B.
Geburtshilfe und Frauenheilkunde 35(7): 538-543
1975
ISSN/ISBN: 0016-5751 PMID: 1213266 Document Number: 93539
A pregnant woman in the 17th week of gestation with Hodgkin's disease was treated with 50 mg Methotrexate i.v. on the 3 days preceeding therapeutic abortion. Cytogenetic studies on blood, brain, skin and lung of the fetus were performed. Slight structural aberrations such as gaps, chromatid breaks and accentric fragments were found in an average of 8,5% of the counted metaphases. The following drastic structural chromosome aberrations were found in 24,8% of all observed metaphases: 1) mitoses with stretched chromosomes, comparable with special segments (9,9%). 2) clumping of chromosomes in varying degrees (5,4%). 3) combinations of 1) and 2) (0,4%). 4) nuclear fragments (7,4%). 5) pulverized chromosomes (1,7%). Endoreduplications were found in 2%. The modal number was 46 with a rate of 50,1%, hypodiploids 46,3%, hyperdiploids and polyploids 3,6%. Karyotype: 46, XX.