Effects of Hysterectomy on Corpus Luteum Activity in the Cyclic, Pseudopregnant and Pregnant Mouse

Abstract

No significant effects on the duration of subsequent oestrous cycles, the duration of pseudopregnancy or on the other characteristics of pseudopregnancy were observed after hysterectomy in albino mice. In pregnancy, except for a slight transient effect on Day 10, the residual duration of luteal activity (as measured by the duration of the extrauterine weight loss and the interval to oestrus) was independent of the presence or absence of the uterus and pregnancy was maintained by a single contralateral ovary associated with an isolated non-pregnant horn.