Protection of Fetuses from In Utero Inflammation: Can MRI be the Solution?

Sylvie Girard¹, Luc Tremblay, Guillaume Sebire, Martin Lepage

Inflammation during gestation is known to have a major impact on fetuses neurodevelopment leading to increase risk of brain alteration. There are currently no technic that allows a non-invasive detection of in utero inflammation, which is necessary in order to treat and protect both the placenta and fetus. We used an experimental model of prenatal inflammation, known to lead to alteration of pups cerebral development and behavior. We showed that using MRI we could detect placental inflammation earlier than by histology. This allowed the determination of a therapeutic window during which the administration of anti-inflammatory treatment, even delayed, was protective.