title: Plasma concentrations of 15-ketodihydro-PGF2 alpha, progesterone, oestrone sulphate, oestradiol-17 beta and cortisol during late gestation, parturition and the early post partum period in llamas and alpacas.
abstract: Plasma concentrations of 15-ketodihydroprostaglandin (PG) F2 alpha, progesterone, oestrone sulphate, oestradiol-17 beta and cortisol during late gestation, parturition and the early post-partum period were measured in six llamas and five alpacas. During the last 100 days of pregnancy, 15-ketodihydro-PGF2 alpha concentrations increased steadily until the day of parturition when a massive release was detected (P < 0.01) concomitant with a decrease in progesterone concentrations (P < 0.01). The highest PGF2 alpha metabolite concentrations (159 +/- 35 nmol l-1 and 92 +/- 29 nmol l-1 in llamas and alpacas respectively) were detected in the sample collected during the morning on the day of parturition. Basal concentrations were registered by day 3 after delivery. Plasma concentrations of oestrone sulphate started to increase 80 days before parturition and reached peak concentrations immediately before parturition (15 +/- 3 nmol l-1 in llamas and 18 +/- 5 nmol l-1 in alpacas). Oestrone sulphate concentrations dropped sharply (P < 0.01) on the day of parturition in llamas and one day later in alpacas, whereupon they remained relatively unchanged until at least 20 days postpartum. Oestradiol-17 beta concentrations were higher than 180 pmol l-1 during the last 45 days of pregnancy, began to decrease on the day of parturition and reached very low concentrations within the following two days. High oestradiol-17 beta concentrations were registered 7 days postpartum in all alpacas (P < 0.05) and within 10 days of parturition in five of six llamas (P < 0.01). No significant cortisol peaks were observed around parturition, but mean concentrations were increased in both species.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Chemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Aba
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sumar
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kindahl
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Forsberg
authors.forename: L E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Edqvist
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002161:Camelids, New World / Q000097:blood*; D015237:Dinoprost / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D004967:Estrogens / Q000097:blood*; D004970:Estrone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D007743:Labor, Obstetric / Q000097:blood; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000097:blood; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal / Q000097:blood*; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D004967:Estrogens; C008228:15-keto-13,14-dihydroprostaglandin F2alpha; D004970:Estrone; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol; D015237:Dinoprost; C017296:estrone sulfate; D006854:Hydrocortisone