Effect of third degree burn injury on ovarian histology and hormonal milieu in female Wistar rats

Studies have shown that severe burns affect male fertility through hormonal disequilibrium while similar cases in female are poorly understood. Therefore, in the present investigation we set out to study how third degree burn (TDB) disrupts ovarian histology and hormonal milieu. Fifteen adult female albino Wistar rats, weighs 150 – 200g were used in the experiment. They were divided in three groups (control, sham and experimental) containing five rats in each group. TDB was induced on 30% of the total body surface area of experimental animals while the sham group had 30% of their total body surface area shaved and exposed to warm water at room temperature. The resulted observations showed that TDB cause significant decline in FSH levels with elevation of prolactin; thereby altering the pituitary function via interference in signaling pathway. It altered the stress center of brain, controlling secretion of gonadotropin releasing hormone thus causing irregularity of the estrous cycle, delayed ovarian maturation and rapid degeneration of ovarian follicles.