Search for arteriovenous shunts in the genital tract of the pseudopregnant rabbit.

The perfusion rate of blood to the ovaries oviducts uterine horns and corpus luteum was studied in pseudopregnant rabbits. Throughout pseudopregnancy the blood flow to all paired ovaries oviducts and uterine horns was evenly distributed. In midpseudopregnancy the perfusion rate to the corpus luteum was significantly (p less than .05) higher than in early or late pseudopregnancy and accounted for 95% of the total ovarian perfusion rate. Conversely the extraluteal perfusion rate remained constant throughout pseudopregnancy. During late pseudopregnancy the perfusion rate of the oviduct and uterus was increased. The only significant (p less than .05) difference in perfusion rates in late pseudopregnancy between 2 different microspheres was found in the uterus in comparison with the other organs studied. The results fail to demonstrate the presence of arteriovenous shunts in the ovary.