Quantifying changes in murine fetal brain vasculature due to prenatal exposure to teratogens with in utero optical coherence tomography

Prenatal substance abuse is one of the main causes of birth defects. Depending upon the substance being abused and the period of gestation during which the abuse happens, the severity of the defect is determined. Although prenatal substance abuse during the first trimester is common, the prevalence of unplanned pregnancies in the United States have led to women continuing their substance abuse well into the second trimester. The second trimester is the peak period for fetal neurogenesis and angiogenesis. Hence, any exposure to teratogens during this period is known to hinder brain development. Several studies have documented changes in morphology and behavior due to exposure to teratogens during this period. However, not a lot is known about the changes in vasculature in the developing brain. In this study, we used angiographic optical coherence tomography, a functional extension of optical coherence tomography, to image acute vasculature changes in the fetal brain caused due to prenatal exposure to ethanol, nicotine, and synthetic cannabinoids (SCB). Results showed a significant decrease in vasculature in all three cases compared to their respective sham groups.