Treatment Restores Fertility in Some Broodmares

For mares that fail to become pregnant after multiple breeding attempts, research results might suggest a treatment that could help in some cases. If the tubes leading to the uterus are blocked, sperm and fertilized embryos are not able to travel along them. Embryos produce prostaglandin E2, a substance that promotes their passage into the uterus. Scientists theorized that application of this hormone to the uterine tube surfaces might have the same effect in some subfertile mares.

For the study, 28 mares were treated with laparoscopic application of 0.2 mg of prostaglandin E2 gel to their uterine tubes. These mares were suspected of having uterine tube blockage and had failed to become pregnant for an average of almost two years despite repeated breedings.

After treatment, 17 of 20 mares used as embryo donors produced embryos. In the group of eight study mares bred to carry their own foals, seven achieved pregnancy in the first or second cycle following treatment. The researchers warned that this treatment would not work in every mare, but it could be a way to restore fertility in mares with some types of uterine tube obstruction.