Pregnancy rates in mares following hysteroscopic or transrectally-guided insemination with low sperm numbers at the utero-tubal papilla.
Abstract: This study was conducted to evaluate two methods for insemination of a low number of sperm in the tip of the uterine horn, and to determine whether prebreeding intrauterine treatment with prostaglandin E(2) would improve pregnancy rates. Estrus was synchronized in 36 fertile Quarter Horse and Thoroughbred broodmares. When a dominant follicle >or=33 mm diameter was present, mares were treated with 2500 units hCG intravenously and were assigned to one of four treatment groups for insemination with five million total sperm in 200 microl extender the next day as follows: (1) Group PGE-HYS (n=9): 0.25mg PGE(2) in 1 ml 0.9% NaCl solution infused into the tip of the uterine horn ipsilateral to the dominant follicle 2h prior to hysteroscopic-guided inseminate placement onto the oviductal papilla; (2) Group SAL-HYS (n=9): 1 ml 0.9% NaCl solution infused into the tip of the uterine horn ipsilateral to the dominant follicle 2h prior to hysteroscopic-guided inseminate placement onto the oviductal papilla; (3) Group PGE-PIP (n=9): 0.25mg PGE(2) in 1 ml 0.9% NaCl solution infused into the tip of the uterine horn ipsilateral to the dominant follicle 2h prior to transrectally-guided pipette placement of the inseminate into the tip of the uterine horn; and (4) Group SAL-PIP (n=9): 1 ml 0.9% NaCl solution infused into the tip of the uterine horn ipsilateral to the dominant follicle 2h prior to transrectally-guided pipette placement of inseminate into the tip of the uterine horn. Mares in estrus were evaluated daily by transrectal ultrasonography to monitor follicular status and confirm ovulation. If mares had not ovulated within 2 days of insemination, the assigned treatment was repeated. Pregnancy status was evaluated by transrectal ultrasonography 12-14 days postovulation, and pregnancy rates were compared. No interaction between prebreeding treatment (SAL:PGE) and insemination protocol (HYS:PIP) on pregnancy rates occurred (P>0.10). Pregnancy rates did not differ between mares inseminated by HYS (12/18; 67%) or PIP (10/18; 56%) (P>0.10). Pregnancy rates did not differ between mares treated prior to breeding with PGE (11/18; 61%) or SAL (11/18; 61%) (P=1.00). In summary, satisfactory pregnancy rates were obtained when a low number of sperm were either placed directly onto the oviductal papilla using hysteroscopy or placed in the tip of the uterine horn using a transrectally-guided uterine pipette. Infusion of 0.25mg PGE(2) in the tip of the uterine horn 2h prior to insemination did not improve pregnancy rates.
Publication Date: 2003-01-09 PubMed ID: 12517400DOI: 10.1016/s0093-691x(02)01123-8Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Comparative Study
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The study investigates the effectiveness of two methods of insemination in horses, where a small amount of sperm is delivered directly to the tip of the uterine horn. It also explores if a pre-breeding treatment using Prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) can increase pregnancy rates. Both the insemination methods and PGE(2) treatment showed satisfactory pregnancy outcomes without any significant differences in results.
Research Methods
- The study involved 36 fertile broodmares belonging to Quarter Horse and Thoroughbred breeds. The mares’ estrus was synchronized to align their reproductive cycles.
- When a dominant follicle (a developing egg within the ovary which is ready to be released for fertilization) 33mm or larger was spotted, the mares were given an intravenous dose of 2500 units of hCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin, a hormone that stimulates ovulation).
- The mares were then randomly assigned to one of four treatment groups. Each group was treated with a different combination of prebreeding treatments and insemination methods using five million total sperm in 200 microliters of extender.
- Both the insemination methods – hysteroscopic-guided placement into the oviductal papilla and transrectally-guided insertion into the top of the uterine horn – and the pre-breeding treatments (with PGE(2) or SAL(0.9% NaCl solution)) were evaluated for effectiveness.
- Follow-ups were conducted using transrectal ultrasonography in order to monitor follicular status, confirm ovulation, and verify pregnancy status 12-14 days after ovulation.
Results
- The results showed no significant difference in pregnancy rates between the mares that were inseminated using hysteroscopic-guided placement (67%) and those using transrectally-guided insertion (56%) methods.
- Also, the pre-breeding treatment (either PGE or SAL) did not significantly affect the pregnancy rates, with both methods yielding a 61% pregnancy rate.
- Furthermore, the same direct insemination technique with or without prebreeding infusion of 0.25mg PGE(2) in the tip of the uterine horn 2 hours prior to insemination, did not significantly affect pregnancy rates.
Conclusion
- The study concluded that both insemination methods – placing sperm directly onto the oviductal papilla using hysteroscopy or placing sperm in the tip of the uterine horn using a transrectally-guided uterine pipette – yielded satisfactory pregnancy outcomes.
- The prebreeding intrauterine treatment with PGE(2) did not significantly improve pregnancy rates. This indicates that the use of PGE(2) as a prebreeding treatment may not be necessary while using these insemination techniques.
Cite This Article
APA
Brinsko SP, Rigby SL, Lindsey AC, Blanchard TL, Love CC, Varner DD.
(2003).
Pregnancy rates in mares following hysteroscopic or transrectally-guided insemination with low sperm numbers at the utero-tubal papilla.
Theriogenology, 59(3-4), 1001-1009.
https://doi.org/10.1016/s0093-691x(02)01123-8 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Large Animal Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-4475, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Chorionic Gonadotropin / administration & dosage
- Dinoprostone / pharmacology
- Estrus Synchronization
- Female
- Horses / physiology
- Insemination, Artificial / instrumentation
- Insemination, Artificial / methods
- Insemination, Artificial / veterinary
- Male
- Pregnancy
- Pregnancy Rate
- Reproduction / physiology
- Sperm Count
- Treatment Outcome
- Ultrasonography, Prenatal / veterinary
- Uterus / drug effects
- Uterus / physiology
Citations
This article has been cited 1 times.- Ortiz I, Dorado J, Morrell J, Gosálvez J, Crespo F, Jiménez JM, Hidalgo M. New approach to assess sperm DNA fragmentation dynamics: Fine-tuning mathematical models. J Anim Sci Biotechnol 2017;8:23.
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