The uterus and early pregnancy failure in the mare

The environment the equine conceptus finds itself in when it arrives in the uterus some 6 days after ovulation will determine if it will thrive or die. The uterus will be its home for approximately the next 11 months and as such it needs to both coordinate the growth of the placenta and ensure there is enough nourishment passing to this organ for the fetus to develop normally. The trophoblast, endometrium, maternal ovaries and, later in pregnancy, the fetal gonads, all play roles in the hormonal changes that orchestrate these events. Although failures of these processes later in pregnancy can have catastrophic effects for the fetus, it is in early gestation that the foundations for a successful pregnancy are laid. This paper therefore concentrates on some of the noninfectious influences the uterus may have on survival of the young conceptus.