title: Cervical diameter in relation to uterine and cervical EMG activity in early postpartum dairy cows with retained placentas after PGF2alpha induced calving.
abstract: The cervix must regain its normal diameter after parturition. Until now, little has been known about the pattern of cervical closure and the possible influences of myometrial and cervical contractions in this process. We continuously measured the cervical diameter with ultrasound cervimetry during the first 48h after calving in six cows with retained fetal membranes, while uterine (n=6) and cervical outer muscular layer (n=4) electromyographic (EMG) activity was measured with bipolar EMG electrodes. We found that the cervical diameter which was 6.2cm (+/-0.7) at 1.4h after calving, initially increased to 9.0cm (+/-1.0) during the first 14.8h (+/-2.8) postpartum. After this time, the diameter decreased gradually to 5.3cm (+/-1.0) at 48h after calving. The overall EMG activity after parturition decreased by 59% (+/-6) and 35% (+/-17) for the uterus and cervix, respectively. The decrease in EMG activity was due to a 50% (+/-7) decrease in EMG amplitudes of the myometrium; the EMG amplitudes of the cervix decreased by only 8% (+/-21) (P>0.05). At the same time in the cervix, burst frequency decreased by 69% (+/-17), while the decrease in burst frequency of the myometrium was only 11% (+/-5) (P>0.05). Uterine myometrial and cervical EMG activity after parturition showed burst patterns. These contractions of the uterus and cervix were accompanied by and correlated with transient dilatations of the caudal cervix. This could have functional relevance in the evacuation of the uterus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, P.O. Box 80.158, 3508 TD Utrecht, The Netherlands. e.vanengelen@vet.uu.nl
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: van Engelen
authors.forename: M A M
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Taverne
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Everts
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: van der Weijden
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Doornenbal
authors.forename: V N A
authors.initials: VN
authors.lastname: Breeveld Dwarkasing
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015237:Dinoprost; D004576:Electromyography / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D007751:Labor, Induced / Q000662:veterinary*; D009215:Myometrium / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology; D010120:Oxytocics; D018457:Placenta, Retained / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011247:Pregnancy; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014590:Uterine Contraction
chemical_list: D010120:Oxytocics; D015237:Dinoprost