Prolactin and delayed pseudopregnancy in the rat

In (RXU)F1 hybrid rats delayed pseudopregnancy was induced in three different ways: 1) by removal of all recent corporl lutea on day 2 of pseudopregnancy, 2) by removal of the in situ ovaries from ovarian graft-bearing animals on day 0 of pseudopregnancy, 3) by administration of 1 mg of ergocornine hydrogenmaleinate (ECO) on day 1 of pseudopregnancy. These procedures ended pseudopregnancy and in 50-60% of the animals a delayed pseudopregnancy with a duration of 6-15 days was observed after the experimental cycle. After sterile copulation two daily prolactin peaks were observed. Removal of the ovaries in situ (from ovarian graft-bearing animals) or of recently formed corpora lutea (from non-grafted animals) caused the disappearance of the prolactin peak at 19.00 h, without affecting the occurrence of the 03.00 h peak. The administration of ECO caused the disappearance of both prolactin peaks. Until the day of estrus prior to delayed pseudopregnancy there were no differences in prolactin concentrations at 03.00 or 19.00 h between animals which became delayed pseudopregnant and those which remained cyclic. In the latter animals the 03.00 h surges decreased slowly in the luteectomized and the ovariectomized animals and were no longer present 7-9 days after copulation. In animals becoming delayed pseudopregnant both prolactin peaks were present from day 0 of delayed pseudopregnancy onwards. Progesterone cencentrations during delayed pseudopregnancy were relatively low when delayed pseudopregnancy had a duration of 6-9 days. When delayed pseudopregnancy lasted 10 days or more normal progesterone values were found.