15-keto-13-14-dihydroprostaglandin-f2alpha and Birth-Weight

This study was designed to examine the effects of intrauterine endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide) on rat pregnancy.. Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats (N = 26) were implanted with uterine catheters on day 15 or 16 of a 22-day gestation. Animals were randomly assigned to receive either lipopolysaccharide (25 or 50 microg) or sodium chloride solution (1 mL) on day 17 and then were either sacrificed on day 19 or observed until delivery. Placentas were harvested at the time of death, homogenates were prepared, and prostaglandin F(2)(alpha) metabolite levels were determined by means of radioimmunoassay. Data were analyzed by analysis of variance, Student-Newman-Keuls, and Mann-Whitney tests.. Lipopolysaccharide-treated groups (25 and 50 microg) displayed a shorter interval to delivery (mean +/- SE, 82 +/- 13 and 63 +/- 8 hours, respectively) than control animals (117 +/- 3 hours). Pups of lipopolysaccharide-treated (25 and 50 microg) female animals had lower live birth weights (4.92 +/- 0.01 and 5.12 +/- 0. 24 g, respectively) compared with control animals (6.04 +/- 0.07 g). Placental homogenates from lipopolysaccharide-treated female animals contained higher levels of prostaglandin F(2)(alpha) metabolite (1567 +/- 64 and 1475 +/- 59 pg/mL) than those from sodium chloride solution-infused control animals (804 +/- 68 pg/mL).. Bacterial products induce the preterm delivery of low-birth-weight pups in rats, possibly by increasing local prostaglandin biosynthesis.

Topics: Animals; Birth Weight; Catheterization; Delivery, Obstetric; Dinoprost; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Endotoxins; Female; Fetal Weight; Lipopolysaccharides; Obstetric Labor, Premature; Organ Size; Placenta; Pregnancy; Pregnancy, Animal; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Uterus

At birth, the physiological role of prostaglandins in bitches is unclear. Bitches were treated before parturition with either saline, the prostaglandin analogue, sodium cloprostenol, or the prostaglandin synthetase inhibitor, flunixin meglumine. The animals were examined regularly to determine the onset of parturition and a series of blood samples were taken to define the hormonal profiles before, during and after birth. Animals treated with cloprostenol whelped earlier than did controls. In addition, the prostaglandin F2 alpha metabolite surge and decrease in plasma progesterone concentration and rectal temperature were earlier than in controls. Flunixin meglumine disrupted the normal 13,14-dihydro-15-keto prostaglandin F2 alpha profile but did not abolish prostaglandin synthesis completely or delay the onset of labour in treated animals. This study confirms that prostaglandins induce luteolysis and the onset of labour in the bitch. However, the partial inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis does not prevent parturition.

Topics: Analysis of Variance; Animals; Area Under Curve; Birth Weight; Body Temperature; Clonixin; Cloprostenol; Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors; Dinoprost; Dogs; Drinking; Female; Labor Onset; Luteolysis; Pregnancy; Progesterone; Prostaglandins, Synthetic

Effects of breed of service sire and cow on birth weight and prepartum and postpartum endocrine function were studied in multiparous Brahman (n = 20) and Angus (n = 20) cows bred to Brahman or Angus bulls. Before calving, blood samples were collected on d 34 to 28, 27 to 21, 20 to 14, and 13 to 7, and after calving, samples were collected from d 0 to 7. Progesterone (P4), estrogen (E2), and 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGFM) were quantified with RIA. Calves born to Brahman were smaller (P < .05) than calves born to Angus cows. Prepartum concentrations of P4 were greater in Angus cows and decreased more rapidly near parturition than in Brahman cows (breed of dam x period; P < .03). Cows bearing bull calves had greater concentrations of P4 on d 20 to 14 before calving than cows bearing heifer calves (sex of calf x period; P < .04). Prepartum E2 was influenced (P < .05) by the breed of dam x breed of sire x period interaction. The ratio of P4:E2 tended to decrease more in Angus than in Brahman cows near parturition (breed of dam x period; P < .09). Postpartum PGFM tended to be influenced (P < .08) by breed of dam x breed of sire; from d 3 to 5, Brahman cows bred to Angus bulls tended (P < .08) to have greater PGFM than Brahman cows bred to Brahman bulls or than Angus cows bred to Brahman or Angus bulls.2+ f1p4

Topics: Animals; Birth Weight; Breeding; Cattle; Dinoprost; Estrogens; Female; Male; Postpartum Period; Pregnancy; Pregnancy, Animal; Progesterone; Radioimmunoassay; Sex Characteristics

In the present study, plasma oxytocin and prostaglandin F2 alpha metabolite (PGFM) concentrations were measured in 46 patients admitted for preterm labour. Gestational age ranged from 20-34 weeks. Samples were collected 12 hours before and after initiation of tocolysis. Patients with a premature rupture of the membranes and/or intra-amniotic infection were excluded in this study. There was a significant difference in the oxytocin (p = 0.05) and PGFM levels (p = 0.007, after 12 hours: p = 0.004) between a control group without preterm labour and women with preterm labour. No differences were seen between the successfully treated (delivery more than 5 days after start of tocolysis) and the failure group. There was no significantly different increase or decrease in PGFM and Oxytocin plasma levels between treatment failures and successfully treated patients.

Topics: Birth Weight; Dinoprost; Female; Gestational Age; Hexoprenaline; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Infusions, Intravenous; Obstetric Labor, Premature; Oxytocin; Pregnancy; Tocolysis; Uterine Contraction

Purebred Ayrshire females were assigned to two groups based on the breed of fetus carried during gestation. In group 1, Limousin embryos were transferred nonsurgically into Ayrshire recipients (10 heifers and 1 cow), and in group 2, 11 Ayrshire heifers and 1 cow were inseminated artificially to Ayrshire bulls. Blood samples were collected daily from d 265 of gestation until d 15 postpartum from 5 heifers of each group. Milk yield was recorded on alternate weeks during the first 20 wk postpartum. Calf birth weight was higher (44.2 vs. 35.4 kg) and gestation was longer (297.4 vs. 280.2) in Ayrshire dams bearing Limousin fetuses than in those bearing Ayrshire fetuses. Daily milk production for the first 20 wk was lower (18.1 vs. 20.8 kg) in Ayrshire dams bearing Limousin fetuses than in those bearing Ayrshire fetuses. Prepartum decrease in progesterone concentrations and increase in estrone concentrations were faster in Ayrshire heifers bearing Limousin fetuses than in those bearing Ayrshire fetuses. Profiles of peripartum concentrations of bovine placental lactogen differed between Ayrshire carrying different families of Limousin fetuses but were similar in those carrying families of Ayrshire fetuses. The concentrations of 15-keto-13,14-dihydroprostaglandin F2 alpha were lower during the postpartum period in heifers than gave birth to Limousin calves than in those that had Ayrshire calves. In conclusion, the breed of fetus influences physiological and endocrine responses of the dam, which might have some effect on milk production of the dam.

Topics: Animals; Birth Weight; Breeding; Cattle; Dinoprost; Embryo Transfer; Estrone; Female; Insemination, Artificial; Lactation; Male; Placental Lactogen; Postpartum Period; Pregnancy; Pregnancy, Animal; Progesterone

To elucidate the role of endogenous prostaglandin F2 alpha in spontaneous and induced labor, plasma concentrations of 13, 14-dihydro-15-keto-prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGFM) were determined before the onset of labor, at onset of labor, during active labor, at the crowning of the fetal head, and 1 and 2 hours after delivery. Patients in spontaneous labor and labor induced by amniotomy, oxytocin, and prostaglandin E2 were studied. The levels of plasma PGFM in patients who entered spontaneous labor fell 2 to 3 weeks before delivery, whereas those in the induced labor group did not change until the time of induction. Although the levels of PGFM rose gradually with the progress of labor in all cases, the levels in the spontaneous labor were significantly lower in each stage than in the corresponding stage of induced labor. These results suggest that endogenous prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha) production decreases 2-3 weeks prior to the spontaneous onset of labor and is increased again as labor progresses, that the patterns of PGF2 alpha production are similar to each other during spontaneous labor and labor induced by various methods. Therefore, it is felt that endogenous PGF2 alpha may participate in the progress of all kinds of labor.

Topics: Adult; Amnion; Apgar Score; Birth Weight; Dinoprost; Dinoprostone; Female; Humans; Labor, Induced; Labor, Obstetric; Oxytocin; Pregnancy; Prostaglandins E; Prostaglandins F