THE EFFECT OF DAILY TRANSPLANTATION OF THE ANTERIOR LOBE ON THE COURSE OF PREGNANCY IN THE RAT AND MOUSE

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Abstract
Daily transplantation of fresh anterior pituitary lobe substance to mice or rats in the 1st third of pregnancy prevents implantation of the ova or leads to their early resorption. If treatment is begun during the middle third of the period of gestation, resorption or expulsion of the fetus takes place. Pregnancy is interrupted less often when treatment is begun in the latter third. Many normal litters are born at term in this series. It is thought that abortion or resorption would occur in every case were a sufficiently large amount of hormone introduced. The gonad-stimulating hormone, of the anterior pituitary, introduced by the fresh transplant method, results in the production of a large number of ovarian follicles. The ovarian hormone thus produced causes a proliferation of the uterine mucosa, bringing about a condition similar to that in normal oestrus. Pregnancy appears to be incompatible with these conditions. Many tubal ova were found in those cases which were studied microscopically after abortion had occurred. Ovulation did not occur during pregnancy, but followed its termination.