Induction and inhibition of implantation in lactating rats

The interrelationship between prolactin and LH in the maintenance of pregnancy during lactation was studied. The reduction of suckled young from eight to two or less, as late as on the morning of Day 4 of pregnancy, resulted in normal implantation. Reintroduction of eight young on Day 4 to lactating pregnant rats deprived of their litters on Day 1 resulted in an inhibition of implantation, but reintroduction on Days 5 or 6 did not inhibit implantation. If oestrogen, HCG or PMSG was given on Day 4 of pregnancy, implantation was induced at the normal time in rats suckling large litters. When LH antiserum was given on the morning of Day 4 or Day 8 to pregnant rats suckling two young each, it blocked implantation and postimplantation survival of blasto-cysts, respectively. When the number of suckling young was increased from two to eight on Day 6, however, LH antiserum blocked pregnancy only to the extent of 70%. Prolactin administered during the preimplantation phase inhibited implantation in pregnant rats suckling a minimum number of young, but had no effect when given during the postimplantation phase. Progesterone failed to block implantation. Prolactin had no inhibitory effect on implantation in the absence of the suckling stimulus or in non-lactating pregnant rats. The inhibition of implantation by prolactin in rats suckling two young could be effectively reversed by the administration of oestrogen, PMSG or HCG on Day 4 of pregnancy.