Effect of different types of prolactin and suckling period on lactational anoestrus in female albino rats

ABSTRACT

Mother rats were allowed to suckling their pups for 24, 20, 16, 12 and 0 [no suckling] hours. A significant decrease in the lactational anestrus period was observed in mother rats suckled their pups for 16, 12 and 0 hours. Subcutaneously injection of bovine and rat prolactin for five days and suckling of the pups for 12 and 0 hours daily caused significant increase in lactational anoestrus period when compared to that injected with saline or ovine prolactin. The results demonstrated that the duration of lactational anoestrus is directly proportional with intensity or duration of suckling, in the same time exogenous injection of rat and bovine prolactin increases anoestrus period while ovine prolactin has not. From this study, it could concluded that the postpartum in the rat is the result of synergy between suckling and increased serum prolactin levels