Determination of Commencement of Gestation from the Vaginal Cytology in the Wistar Rats

Abstract

The process of confirmation of pregnancy and commencement of gestational dating in the laboratory animals is a fundamental and vital procedural step particularly necessary in the course of reproductive or developmental research; but most of the commonly employed methods for this exercise had been proving vague and disappointing both to the young and the experienced researchers. Th changes in the vaginal epithelia cytology during the estrus cycle appear to be more accurate approach to monitor the ovarian activities and hence more reliable and this is presented here and discussed.