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Uterine hemodynamics during a short-term progesterone synchronization protocol in ewes

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Abstract

Twenty-eight pluriparous and non-lactating Santa Inês sheep were synchronized with vaginal sponge and an intramuscular (IM) injection of 37.5 μg of cloprostenol on random days of the estrous cycle (D0); day 6 (D6), at 7:00 am, the devices were removed, and after 24 h (D7), GnRH analog (25 μg of lecirelin) was administrated. Fixed-time artificial insemination (FTAI) with cervical traction by the transcervical route was performed 52 to 58 h after sponge removal. Doppler velocimetry of both uterine arteries was performed on D0, D2, D4, and the morning of D6 (every 48 h), and then every 12 h from D6 to D8 (7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.). We analyzed the peak systolic velocity (PSV), end-diastolic velocity (EVD), time-averaged maximum and mean velocity (TAMAX, TAMEAN), pulsatility index (PI), resistance index (RI), systolic/diastolic ratio (S/D), arterial diameter (AD), and blood flow volume (BFV), with the objective of evaluating the hemodynamic behavior of blood flow velocity parameters of the uterine artery during a short-term progesterone synchronization protocol in ewes. With respect to phases, we noted increases in the means of TAMAX and TAMEAN and decreases of EDV, PI, and RI (P < 0.05). S/D, EDV, TAMEAN, PI, RI, SD, AD, and BFV showed differences between the time of progesterone insertion and the estimated time of ovulation (which was considered the last evaluation) (P < 0.05). The PI and RI values were different when comparing the times of insertion and withdrawal of the progesterone device (PI 2.53–1.54 and RI 0.76–0.68) (P < 0.05). The PI was different with respect to side (P < 0.001), but no side effect was seen in the RI. In conclusion, the two uterine arteries behave differently under the effect of progesterone (intravaginal sponges) and the effect of estradiol during the follicular phase, and estrous phase was responsible for increasing uterine blood flow.

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Acknowledgments

This study was conducted as a requirement of junior scientific initiation (Federal Institute of Espírito Santo - IFES), scientific initiation, and graduation work for the Veterinary course at the Centro Universitário do Espírito Santo (UNESC).

Funding

We had financial support (TO 913/2015) and a scholarship financed by Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa e Inovação do Espírito Santo (FAPES). Joao Vitor Pagoto Careta has a scholarship financed by FAPES, which is gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro Universitário do Espírito Santo (UNESC), Avenida Fioravante Rossi, 2930, Colatina, ES, 29703-900, Brazil

    Renato Travassos Beltrame & Joao Vitor Pagoto Careta

  2. Instituto Federal do Espírito Santo (IFES), Rodovia BR-259, s/n - Zona Rural, Colatina, ES, 29717-000, Brazil

    Nilson Nunes Morais Junior, Ariádna Patricia Ribeiro & Thales Alves Dutra Lima

  3. Instituto de Zootecnia (IZ), Rua Heitor Penteado, 56, Nova Odessa, SP, 13380-011, Brazil

    Ricardo Lopes Dias da Costa

  4. Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense (UENF), Av. Alberto Lamego, 2000 - Parque California, Campos dos Goitacazes, RJ, 28035-200, Brazil

    Celia Raquel Quirino

Authors
  1. Renato Travassos Beltrame
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  2. Nilson Nunes Morais Junior
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  3. Joao Vitor Pagoto Careta
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  4. Ariádna Patricia Ribeiro
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  5. Thales Alves Dutra Lima
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  6. Ricardo Lopes Dias da Costa
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  7. Celia Raquel Quirino
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Renato Travassos Beltrame.

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Statement of animal rights

This study was approved by the institute’s ethics committee (Protocol No. CEUA/IFES – ES 23147.000841-2016-23).

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Highlights

• The Doppler parameters and the diameter of the uterine artery showed significant changes during a short synchronization protocol

• Differences were found between the means of the Doppler parameters in relation to the phase of the protocol (progesterone × estradiol)

• Doppler parameters and the diameter of the uterine artery showed significant correlations

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Beltrame, R.T., Morais Junior, N.N., Careta, J.V.P. et al. Uterine hemodynamics during a short-term progesterone synchronization protocol in ewes. Trop Anim Health Prod 52, 503–509 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-019-02035-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-019-02035-5

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