[Ante partum vaginal prolapse in sheep--an unsolved problem]

No other species of domestic animal suffers so frequently from vaginal prolapse ante partum as the sheep. All the different therapeutic methods are symptomatic in nature with the main result of preventing recurrence. There is a high rate of complications at the time of labour because of dystocia and high lamb mortality rates. In the pregnant ewe suffering from vaginal prolapse, pathologically high levels of circulating oestrogens were found. The origin of these still remains unclear. Possible genetical defects on the maternal and/or fetal side, and the possible influence of phyto-oestrogens in this context are discussed.