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Non‐invasive detection and monitoring of pregnancy and the postpartum period in goeldi's monkey ( Callimico goeldii ) using urinary pregnanediol‐3α‐glucuronide
Author(s) -
Jurke M. H.,
Pryce C. R.,
Döbeli M.,
Martin R. D.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
american journal of primatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.988
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1098-2345
pISSN - 0275-2565
DOI - 10.1002/ajp.1350340404
Subject(s) - ovulation , urine , pregnanediol , pregnancy , urinary system , gestation , postpartum period , endocrinology , biology , radioimmunoassay , physiology , medicine , genetics
Pregnanediol‐3α‐glucuronide (PdG) was measured in the urine of six Goeldi's monkeys during pregnancy and the postpartum period. A stress‐free, non‐invasive urine sampling technique permitted frequent collection of urine from members of the breeding group. A comparison of the periovulatory profiles of PdG and estrone conjugates revealed close agreement. The day of ovulation was defined as that immediately preceding a 2‐4 day period with two consecutive urine samples for which the PdG content was in excess of 0.20 μg/mg Cr and 0.40 μg/mg Cr, respectively. In urine samples collected from parturition to the next ovulation, 70.9% of the PdG‐values were below 0.20 μg/mg Cr, whereas 99.2% of the urinary PdG concentrations measured during pregnancy were greater than this “threshold concentration”. A conception cycle was therefore defined as one in which the concentration of urinary PdG remained above 0.20 μg/mg Cr in all urine samples collected between day 1 and day 20 after ovulation. Gestation length was 151.5 ± 1.6 days (mean ± SEM, n = 6; range 147‐157 days). The postpartum ovulation occurred 22.6 ± 4.7 days (mean ± SEM, n = 9; range 11‐53 days) following birth. With the exception of two non‐conception postpartum cycles observed in one female, with inter‐ovulatory intervals of 26 and 27 days, postpartum ovulation resulted in conception, giving a 77.8% conception rate for nine observed cycles. The simple and rapid radioimmunoassay used in this study requires 5 h from urine collection to the final result, hence permitting daily monitoring of a large sample of females. It thus has important potential for conservation breeding programs and for other scientific investigations carried out with this endangered primate species. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.