Describing Ovarian Cycles, Pregnancy Characteristics, and the Use of Contraception in Female White‐Faced Marmosets, Callithrix geoffroyi

Abstract

Endocrine data and characteristics of nonconceptive ovarian cycling and pregnancy are limited within the genus Callithrix to the common marmoset (C. jacchus) and Wied's black tufted-ear marmoset (C. kuhlii). This paper presents patterns of urinary pregnandiol-3-glucuronide (PdG) excretion, as determined by enzyme immunoassay, throughout the course of ovarian cycling and pregnancy in white-faced marmosets (C. geoffroyi). Furthermore, characteristics of reproductive parameters including litter size, duration of gestation, maternal age, and information about ovarian cycling following administration of contraceptives are also described. A steep increase in PdG, an indication of ovulation, characterizes normative ovarian cycles, with peak-to-peak intervals between cycles being 27.82 ± 1.49 days in length. PdG excretion (μg/mg Cr) across pregnancy peaked during the 1st and 2nd trimesters (1st = 20.71 ± 2.98, 2nd = 21.16 ± 2.60) and declined gradually to near preconception levels over the 3rd trimester until parturition (3rd = 5.74 ± 1.60). Gestation lasted 148.55 ± 1.89 days. Most pregnancies (82.8%) resulted in an immediate postpartum ovulation (PPO) of 17.45 ± 2.22 days with 58.3% of PPOs resulting in conception. No differences in PdG excretion during the 1st trimester between full pregnancies and miscarriages were found, and pregnancy characteristics such as litter size, duration of gestation, and maternal age were not associated with PdG concentrations. Administration of cloprostenol resulted in shorter cycle durations, but ovulation was detectable with similar concentrations of peak PdG to a normal non-conceptive cycle. Conversely, medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) injections resulted in little to no PdG excretion across the ovarian cycle, with both methods of contraception providing effective prevention of conception. Overall, these results show that strong similarities in reproductive parameters persist within the genus Callithrix and to a lesser extent across the Callitrichidae family.

Gestational cortisol and social play shape development of marmosets' HPA functioning and behavioral responses to stressors

“…Determination of conception and gestational timing was evaluated by monitoring excreted levels of the progesterone metabolite, PdG, in breeding females. Urinary PdG levels were monitored by EIA following the protocol established for marmosets (for details, see French et al, ; Mustoe, Jensen, & French, ). Inter‐assay coefficients of variation (CV), determined from high and low concentration pool samples ran on each plate, were 22.0% and 6.1%, respectively.…”

Estudo endócrino reprodutivo e do comportamento sócio-sexual de sagui-de-tufo-preto (Callithrix penicillata) mantido em cativeiro

“…Na literatura existem poucas informações endócrino reprodutivas para primatas da família Callitrichidae (Lottker et al 2004, French et al 1992, Gilchrist et al 2001, Tardif et al 2003, sendo que apenas duas espécies do gênero Callithrix (C. jacchus e C. kuhlii) foram adequadamente estudadas (Mustoe et al 2012). Este é o primeiro estudo endócrino reprodutivo e do comportamento sócio-sexual de sagui-de--tufos-pretos (Callithrix penicillata), mantidos em cativeiro.…”

Comparative Physiology, Growth, and Development

“…In the female marmoset, menstruation does not occur and sexual maturity would be defined by the occurrence of ovulation, which has no reliable outward indicators but can be monitored by urinary pregnandiol-3-glucuronide concentrations [132]. The presence of menstrual bleeding in female macaques is considered sufficient evidence of sexual maturity, although early ovarian cycles may be irregular and not ovulatory.…”