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Ovarian Follicular Activity During Late Gestation and Postpartum in Guanaco ( L ama guanicoe )
Author(s) -
Riveros JL,
Schuler G,
Urquieta B,
Hoffmann B,
Bonacic C
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
reproduction in domestic animals
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.546
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1439-0531
pISSN - 0936-6768
DOI - 10.1111/rda.12462
Subject(s) - follicular phase , gestation , estrone , follicle , medicine , post partum , biology , gestation period , endocrinology , pregnancy , postpartum period , ovarian follicle , estrogen , physiology , genetics
Contents This study evaluated ovarian activity in late gestation and post‐partum in guanacos in captivity. Follicular dynamics was monitored every second day from 40 days before and other 40 after delivery by transrectal sonography and by plasma steroids concentrations. Seven out of eight (87.5%) of gestating females presented ovarian follicular activity under progesterone levels >3 nmol/l with maximum follicular size of 8.42 ± 0.83 mm from days 23 to 1 before delivery. After delivery, all females have follicular wave development from day 0 to 38, with larger follicular size and longer follicular wave phases and interwave interval when compared with pre‐partum data. During post‐partum period, there was a close relationship between follicle size and estradiol‐17 β concentration, with r = 0.69 at the beginning of growth phase and r = 0.86 in association with the largest dominant follicle. Plasma estradiol‐17 β concentration varied from 11.92 to 198.55 pmol/l. Plasma estrone sulfate, free estrone and progesterone returned to baseline concentrations during peripartal period and remained basal thereafter. The results described follicular activity during late gestation and early post‐partum period. These findings provide relevant information to understand physiological changes occurring during this reproductive key period in seasonal breeders with long gestation duration as New and Old World camelids.