FETAL SURVIVAL AFTER IN-UTERO EXPERIMENTATION IN THE RABBIT

Fifty time-mated pregnant rabbits were used to evaluate the factors in fluencing fetal survival rate (FSR) after in utero experimentation. On ly one of the following variables - number of manipulated fetuses per rabbit, gestational age during experimental procedure, method of hyste rotomy, and amount of amniotic fluid loss - was respectively modified in the five consecutive groups. Each group consisted of 10 rabbits and identical procedures were performed in each group. The FSR among grou ps was compared. Although comparison of FSR between two succeeding gro ups did not reveal a significant difference, comparison of the FSR of the latter two groups with the former two groups revealed a significan t difference. While the most substantial improvement in FSR was achiev ed by modification of the hysterotomy method, all of the factors, cumu latively if not individually, established a significant difference.