alfaprostol and Fetal-Death

Injection of prostaglandin (PG) F-2 alpha or its analogues has provided a technique to induce parturition after Day 110 of gestation in the sow. The mean interval from PG injection to parturition ranges from 24 to 28 h, but only 50-60% of the sows farrow during an 8-10 h working day, and as many as 20% of sows may begin parturition before the injection of PG or less than 22 h after the injection. The duration of parturition is positively associated with the incidence of stillbirths and perinatal death so that techniques to reduce the duration of parturition may save piglets. Early parturition has been prevented by feeding sows progestagens, PG synthesis inhibitors and hypothalamic function inhibitors. These compounds were detrimental to piglet survival if they delayed parturition too long after the expected time of parturition. Parturition was delayed in sows up to 1.5 days by altrenogest, 1.6 days by meclofenamic acid, 2.7 days by indomethacin, and 3 days by methallibure without increased incidence of stillborn piglets compared with control sows. Injection of PG after administration of altrenogest or meclofenamic acid was successful in experiments with sows; parturition could be confined to a 5-day working week with no increase in stillborn piglets compared with control sows. Relaxin injected at 48 and 24 h before or only 24 h before injection of PG increased the proportion of sows farrowing 22-32 h after PG to 86.2% compared with sows injected only with PG (53.3%, P less than 0.01). Oxytocin injected 20 h after injection of PG increased the proportion of sows farrowing 20-28 h after PG to 90.4% compared with sows injected only with PG (49.2%, P less than 0.005). Injection of 25-60 i.u. ACTH on Day 110 of gestation did not shorten the length of gestation, but did decrease the incidence of still born piglets by 0.2 piglets/litter (P less than 0.05). An injection of the beta-adrenergic antagonist, carazolol, during labour before the birth of the first piglet decreased the duration of parturition and the incidence of stillborn piglets particularly in primiparous sows (P less than 0.05). Carazolol injected with oxytocin 20 h after injection of PG decreased the interval from PG to parturition by 2 h compared with sows injected with only PG and oxytocin.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Topics: Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; Animal Husbandry; Animals; Dinoprost; Female; Fetal Death; Gestational Age; Indomethacin; Labor, Obstetric; Meclofenamic Acid; Methallibure; Oxytocin; Pregnancy; Progesterone Congeners; Propanolamines; Prostaglandins F; Relaxin; Swine; Trenbolone Acetate

In a single large pig production unit of 6000 breeding sows, seven groups of 100 sows each were formed at random on the 110th day of pregnancy. Each group was evaluated and divided according to body condition in three subgroups. The average parity in each subgroup was recorded. The groups were treated as follows: Group 1 received on the 113th day of pregnancy a 3 mg single intramuscular dose of alfaprostol. Group 2 received on the 113th day of pregnancy a 3 mg single intramuscular dose of alfaprostol, 24 hours later a single intramuscular dose of 10 IU of oxytocin. Group 3 received a single intramuscular dose of 10 IU of oxytocin after the birth of the first piglet. Group 4 received on the 113th day of pregnancy a 100 mg single intramuscular dose of prednisolone. Group 5 received on the 113th day of pregnancy a 0.2 mg single intramuscular dose of carbamylcholine. Group 6 received from the 110th day of pregnancy food consisting of 12% fiber, 3 kg per sow per day. Group 7 (control) received a 3 ml physiologic NaCl solution on the 114th day of pregnancy. The following parameter were evaluated: A: Number of live born piglets B: Number of intrapartum stillborn piglets As regard number of live born piglets no significant difference was seen between the experimental groups (1-6) and the control group (7). On the other hand showed the experimental group 1, 2, 5 and 6 significant lower incidence of intrapartum stillbirth when compared to the control (group 7). Within the groups the tendency was seen, that the sows with higher parity and body condition produced less numbers of live born and higher numbers of intrapartum stillborn piglets.

Topics: Animals; Carbachol; Female; Fetal Death; Nutritional Status; Oxytocin; Parity; Prednisolone; Pregnancy; Prostaglandins F; Swine; Swine Diseases

In a single large pig production unit of 6,000 breeding sows, 3 Groups of 100 sows each were formed at random on the 110th day of pregnancy. Each Group was evaluated and divided according of body condition in three Subgroups. The Groups were treated as follows: Group 1: received on the 113th day of pregnancy a 3 mg single intramuscular dose of Alfaprostol. Group 2: received on the 113th day of pregnancy a 100 mg single intramuscular dose of Prednisolone. Group 3: received a 3 ml intramuscular dose of physiologic NaCL solution on the 113th day of pregnancy. The Parameter "intrapartum dead piglets" was evaluated. Groups 1 and 2 show better results compared to Group 3 (57 and 55 to 90). Between Group 1 and 2 was no significant difference. Regarding Subgroup 5 (chosen according to body condition), the intrapartum mortality is significantly different between Group 3 and Groups 1 and 2 (%: G 1/5 17.64, G 2/5 22.35, G 3/5 31.08; +/-: G 1/5 1.71, G 2/5 2.37, G 3/5 3.83; SD G 1/5 1.60, G2/5 1.40, G 3/5 2.78). These results show, that in the case of overweight sows, where the birth passage is a priori narrower due to the presence of surrounding fatty tissue, birth is more difficult. As Groups 1 and 2 show compared to Group 3, Alfaprostol or Prednisolone is an effective help against intrapartum mortality in overweight sows (i. e. in Subgroup 5). From the results it is also to be seen, that the above-mentioned veterinary measures help less in reducing intrapartum mortality in thinner sows.

Topics: Animals; Female; Fetal Death; Obesity; Prednisolone; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications; Prostaglandins F; Swine; Swine Diseases; Thinness

In a single large pig production unit of 6,000 breeding sows, 3 Groups of 100 sows each were formed at random on the 110th day of pregnancy. Each Group was evaluated and divided according to body condition in three subgroups. The Groups were treated as follows: Group 1: received on the 113th day of pregnancy a 3 mg single intramuscular dose of Alfaprostol, 24 hours later a single intramuscular dose of 10 i.U. of Oxytocin. Group 2: received on the 113th day of pregnancy a 0.2 mg single intramuscular dose of Carbamylcholin. Group 3: received a 3 ml intramuscular dose of physiologic NaCl solution on the 113th day of pregnancy. The parameter "intrapartal dead piglets" was evaluated. Group 1 and 2, especially in Subgroups KK3, showed significant less intrapartal death when compared to Group 3.

Topics: Animals; Carbachol; Drug Therapy, Combination; Female; Fetal Death; Health Status; Oxytocin; Pregnancy; Prostaglandins F; Swine; Swine Diseases