estrone-sulfate and Abortion--Veterinary

Premature luteal demise or luteal insufficiency is not well characterised as a cause of pregnancy loss in domestic species, including horses. In this report, a mare inseminated with cooled-transported semen at our facility returned for a routine pregnancy diagnosis at 15 days post ovulation. Ultrasonography per rectum revealed endometrial oedema and the absence of visual indication of a corpus luteum on either ovary. Nonetheless, an embryonic vesicle small for the gestational age was identified. Daily oral altrenogest treatment was implemented immediately. Serum progesterone concentration was 0.67 ng/ml, which is below the threshold considered adequate for pregnancy maintenance in the mare. Examinations were repeated at 17, 25, 30, 39, 49, 72 and 120 days post ovulation. At 25 days post ovulation the embryonic vesicle presented normal development for the gestational age. In addition, sequential blood samples were collected to measure progesterone, equine chorionic gonadotrophin and oestrone sulphate concentrations. Although progesterone concentration did not exceed 2 ng/ml until 72 days post ovulation, all other results were unremarkable and a healthy filly was born uneventfully at 344 days post ovulation.

Topics: Abortion, Veterinary; Administration, Oral; Animals; Chorionic Gonadotropin; Corpus Luteum Maintenance; Estrone; Female; Pregnancy; Progesterone; Trenbolone Acetate

The aim of present experiment was to evaluate the plasma concentrations of estrone sulfate (E(1)S) and progesterone (P(4)) during late gestation in recipient cows transferred embryos produced by nuclear transfer (NT) and in vitro fertilization (IVF). Blood samples were collected from recipients transferred embryos produced by NT (n=9) and IVF (n=13) at 160, 220, 240, 260 and 270 d of gestation and then at 5 d intervals until parturition. Plasma samples were analyzed for E(1)S and P(4) by ELISA. One NT and three IVF cows aborted between days 220 and 260 of gestation. Two NT and one IVF cow had prolonged gestation (over 290 d). One IVF cow had an overweight fetus (50 kg) after abortion (257 d). The patterns of changes in the concentrations of E(1)S during late gestation in the NT and IVF cows were almost identical. The NT and IVF cows that aborted had prolonged gestation and much higher E(1)S concentrations than the average. One NT cow aborted after 220 d of gestation and had a sudden high increase in its E(1)S concentration from 160 d to 220 d of gestation. The NT and IVF cows that had prolonged gestation also had significantly higher (P<0.05) P(4) concentrations than the average. These results raise the possibility that the E(1)S and P(4) profiles can be used to monitor some late gestational problems, such as higher birth weight, abortion and prolonged gestation.

Topics: Abortion, Veterinary; Animals; Biomarkers; Birth Weight; Cattle; Embryo Transfer; Estrone; Female; Fertilization in Vitro; Gestational Age; Nuclear Transfer Techniques; Pregnancy; Pregnancy, Prolonged; Progesterone

Fecal and plasma E1S of a sow with mummified fetuses, was compared with normal delivery cases. Fecal and plasma fluctuation patterns in E1S were similar. In the sow with fetal mummification both fecal and plasma E1S concentration rapidly decreased after day 80-90 compared to normal farrowing sows. This coincided with the estimated time of fetal death.

Topics: Abortion, Missed; Abortion, Veterinary; Animals; Estrone; Feces; Female; Male; Pregnancy; Swine; Swine Diseases

The effect of Toxoplasma gondii inoculation on pregnancy and on endocrine foetal-placental function in pregnant goats was studied. Five susceptible goats were inoculated subcutaneously with T. gondii bradyzoites at 71 +/- 2 days of gestation. Another five goats were used as controls. Plasma was analysed for progesterone, oestrone sulphate and 15-ketodihydro-PGF2 alpha. The condition of the foetuses was monitored by real-time ultrasonography. All inoculated goats aborted or delivered stillborn or weak kids 54-73 days after inoculation. None of the goats showed signs of general disease. In cases of foetal death, the ultrasound examination revealed that death occurred between day 1 and 12 before abortion or birth. The appearance of the foetuses varied from fresh to mummified, depending on the number of days between foetal death and expulsion. All five goats became serologically positive to T. gondii after inoculation. None of the goats used as controls aborted, but one goat delivered one mummified and one weak kid for unknown reasons. In inoculated animals an increase in 15-ketodihydro-PGF2 alpha levels in plasma and a subsequent tendency to a decrease in oestrone sulphate levels were observed from about day 40 after inoculation and until abortion or birth. High levels of 15-ketodihydro-PGF2 alpha were seen after foetal death. High levels of 15-ketodihydro-PGF2 alpha were not always followed by a drop in progesterone levels. The mean level of progesterone was slightly decreased after inoculation and onwards. The pattern of progesterone levels around abortion in the inoculated goats was very similar to the pattern around parturition in the control goats. However, 15-ketodihydro-PGF2 alpha levels were higher both before and after abortion in inoculated goats than in control goats. The level of oestrone sulphate did not increase in the inoculated group before abortion in contrast to the level in goats which delivered healthy kids. The patterns of changes in levels of 15-ketodihydro-PGF2 alpha and oestrone sulphate in inoculated animals indicate that the endocrine foetal-placental function was disturbed in most of the inoculated goats, probably due to the injury caused by the establishment and development of T. gondii infection in the placenta and foetus.

Topics: Abortion, Veterinary; Animals; Dinoprost; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP); Estrone; Female; Goat Diseases; Goats; Maternal-Fetal Exchange; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic; Progesterone; Time Factors; Toxoplasma; Toxoplasmosis, Animal

Treatment of lactating and nonlactating parous cows (n = 379) with 12 mg of FSH-P to evaluate development of multiple bovine fetuses resulted in ovulation rates ranging from 1 to 27 corpora lutea (CL). Fertilization rate (i.e., ova fertilized at 6 to 8 d postmating, 80.0%) was not affected by ovulation rate. The percentage of fetuses developing normally at 51 to 53 d postmating decreased (P less than .01) as ovulation rate increased; 1 CL, 100.0%; 2 CL, 100.0%; 3 CL, 66.7%; 4 CL, 45.8%; 5 CL, 33.3%; 6 to 10 CL, 13.6%; and greater than 10 CL, 8.9%. Of the 86 cows permitted to calve, 47 produced singles, 22 twins, 9 triplets, 7 quadruplets, and 1 quintuplets. Calf birth weight and gestational length decreased (P less than .01) as the number of calves born increased from one to two to three. Smaller decreases (P less than .05) in birth weight occurred among triplets, quadruplets, and quintuplets, whereas gestational length did not differ (P greater than .1) among these groups. Systemic progesterone concentrations in the dam were proportional (P less than .01) to the number of fetuses in utero between d 126 and 266 for dams gestating one, two, or three or more fetuses; estrone sulfate was lower (P less than .01) in dams with one than in those with two or more fetuses. Placental weight (i.e., cotyledons plus intercotyledonary membranes) per fetus at 52 +/- 1 d of gestation and at term decreased as the number of fetuses increased. The chorioallantoic membranes were often fused among multiple fetuses and contained either all viable or all dead fetuses, but not both, within the same anastomosed placental unit. These results suggest that ovulation rate is the first limiting factor to increasing cow productivity for beef cattle because some bovine females had the capacity to gestate up to three fetuses per uterine horn, or a total of five fetuses, above which pregnancy was terminated.

Topics: Abortion, Veterinary; Animals; Birth Weight; Cattle; Cattle Diseases; Dystocia; Embryonic and Fetal Development; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP); Estrone; Female; Fertility; Fertilization; Fetal Death; Litter Size; Male; Ovulation; Placenta; Pregnancy; Progesterone; Superovulation; Twins

Plasma cortisol, oestrone sulphate and progestagens were measured in 22 stressed pregnant mares (gestation length 17-336 days) as indicators of fetal viability. Mares were bled every 12 h from time of admission, and plasma was stored at -70 degrees C until assayed. Four normal mares were bled twice weekly from Day 270 to parturition to provide baseline endocrine data. Cortisol and progestagen concentrations were measured by radioimmunoassay and oestrone sulphate was measured by enzyme immunoassay. Mares were grouped according to clinical diagnosis: surgical colic (Group 1, n = 11), medical colic (Group 2, n = 7), and uterine torsion (Group 3, n = 4). Of the 16 mares in Groups 1 and 2 that survived to discharge, 12 mares foaled normally and 4 aborted, 3 during hospitalization. Following surgical treatment of uterine torsion, 2 mares aborted and 2 mares carried foals to term. Plasma cortisol was greater than 30 ng/ml in 19 of the 22 stressed mares at presentation and was less than 30 ng/ml in normal mares at all collections. Cortisol concentrations remained elevated in mares during post admission complications. The mean cortisol concentration of mares with colic that subsequently aborted was higher at presentation, but not statistically different, than levels of mares that did not abort (135 +/- 35 ng/ml and 83 +/- 19 ng/ml, respectively; mean +/- s.e.m.). Progestagen concentrations in normal mares ranged from 2-25 ng/ml.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Topics: Abortion, Veterinary; Animals; Colic; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP); Estrone; Female; Fetal Viability; Gestational Age; Horse Diseases; Horses; Hydrocortisone; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications; Progestins; Time Factors; Uterine Diseases

Serum and urinary estrone sulfate concentrations were determined in 7 pregnant mares before and after prostaglandin-induced abortion (n = 4) or surgical removal of the fetus (n = 3) to determine the source of estrogen during early pregnancy (gestation days [GD] 44 to 89). Estrone sulfate concentrations also were determined in serum samples (stored frozen for 2 years) from 3 mares that had been ovariectomized between GD 51 and 58. Estrone sulfate concentrations decreased in serum and urine after expulsion or removal of the fetus (urinary patterns were more definitive than were patterns for serum), whereas a transient decrease in serum estrone sulfate concentration was observed after ovariectomy. Seemingly, products of conception are the major source of estrone sulfate during early pregnancy, although there appears to be some ovarian contribution. Serum or urinary estrone sulfate measurements provide a simple and accurate test for fetal viability after GD 44 in the mare.

Topics: Abortion, Induced; Abortion, Veterinary; Animals; Dinoprost; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP); Estrone; Female; Fetal Death; Horse Diseases; Horses; Pregnancy; Prostaglandins F

Multiparous pregnant mares, on two studfarms, were studied following natural challenge with equid herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1). They were divided into three groups according to serum complement fixation titres: Group A (N = 11) were not challenged and delivered normal foals; Group B (N = 13) were challenged but delivered normal foals; Group C (N = 23) were challenged and delivered infected foals which were stillborn or lived for less than 31 h. In Groups A and B mean (+/- s.d.) gestational age at delivery was 343 (+/- 8) and 339 (+/- 8) days respectively, whereas in Group C it was significantly (P less than 0.01) shorter (294 +/- 44 days). Group C mares had significantly lower pre-partum concentrations of progestagens except for 2 mares in which the values were comparable to those of mares in Groups A and B; one of these 2 mares delivered a live foal which survived for 31 h. Thin-layer chromatography showed that substances eluting in RF positions similar to 20 alpha-dihydroprogesterone and 5 alpha-pregnane-3,20-dione, were the main progestagen metabolites in plasma at 275-295 and 305-335 days gestation respectively. Incubation of liver, placenta, gonads, kidney and brain revealed no significant difference in the ability of virus-infected and non-infected fetal tissues to metabolize labelled progesterone in the presence of NADPH. Concentrations of plasma oestrone sulphate pre partum, from all groups of mares, were related to gestational age. Plasma prolactin concentrations were elevated at parturition in mares in Groups A and B but lower values were observed in Group C. We conclude that (1) endocrine patterns in maternal peripheral blood of mares with EHV-1 infected fetuses are similar to those of mares carrying normal fetuses and probably are related to gestational age at the time of delivery; and (2) substantial quantities of progestagen metabolites are found in the plasma of late-term pregnant mares.

Topics: Abortion, Veterinary; Animals; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP); Estrone; Female; Herpesviridae Infections; Herpesvirus 1, Equid; Horse Diseases; Horses; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious; Progesterone; Prolactin