nitrous oxide on rat fertility and pregnancy

High incidences of cancer, hepatic disease, renal disease, spontaneous abortion, premature delivery, and congenital deformities in their offspring have been reported amongst operation-room personnel. These conditions have been attributed to their exposure to anesthetic gases. Dentists who are exposed to anesthetic gases are also reported to have high incidences of these diseases. While nitrous oxide is the only anesthetic gas to which most dentists are exposed, they are exposed to ldgh concentrations because of patients’ open mouths, recirculating air conditioning and high flow rates. Wistar-Lewis inbred rats were exposed to 70 percent nitrous oxide and oxygen two hours each day for 30 days. After the thirtieth day, various matings were made between experimental and control animals. The results of these matings showed that this chronic intermittent dose had no effect on their reproductive capacity or on their offspring. A histologic examination of the gonads of the rats exposed to nitrous oxide failed to show microscopic changes reported by other investigators when rats were continuously exposed.