Contraception in the chimpanzee: 12-year experience at the CIRMF Primate Centre, Gabon.
The Primate Centre of the International Center for Medical Research in Franceville, Gabon (CIRMF) has had a chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) colony for more than 20 years. A contraceptive policy was started in 1990, following a rapid increase in the number of individuals in the 1980s. Intrauterine devices were first used in 24 females; 10 failures occurred over a period of about 4 years. Depo-provera was then used in 28 chimpanzees for between 4 months and 4 years; 10 failures occurred, the animals gained weight, and cyclic swelling of the external genitalia was markedly modified. Starting in late 2000, 25 females received progestin implants; only one failure has so far occurred, and the main side effect is a complete abrogation of cyclic sexual swelling.
Bourry
Olivier
O
Centre de Primatologie, Centre International de Recherches Médicales, BP 769 Franceville, Gabon. obourry@yahoo.fr
Peignot
Patricia
P
Rouquet
Pierre
P
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D003267:Contraception / Q000379:methods* / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D005681:Gabon; D007434:Intrauterine Devices / Q000662:veterinary*; D017258:Medroxyprogesterone Acetate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008552:Melengestrol Acetate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002679:Pan troglodytes / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012098:Reproduction / Q000502:physiology*
D008552:Melengestrol Acetate; D017258:Medroxyprogesterone Acetate