Luteal blood flow and progesterone production in mares

The temporal relationships between blood flow in the corpus luteum (CL) and circulating progesterone concentrations were studied in 20 mares. Retrospective inspection of plasma progesterone concentrations indicated that a precipitous decrease occurred during Days 15–17 (Day 0 = ovulation) and was defined as the luteolytic period. Mean percentage of CL with color-Doppler signals for blood flow was maximum on Day 10 (77.3%), and Days 10–14 (49.8%) were defined as the preluteolytic period. The cross-sectional area of the CL decreased progressively from Day 4 (9.0 cm2) to Day 19 (1.5 cm2). Progesterone reached maximum concentration on Day 8 (12.8 ng/ml) and thereafter CL area and plasma progesterone decreased in parallel until the onset of luteolysis. During the luteolytic period, the decrease in plasma progesterone was about sixfold greater than during the preluteolytic period, whereas the decrease in CL area and in percentage of CL with blood-flow area were about twofold greater. There was no indication that an acute increase or decrease in luteal blood flow occurred prior to the precipitous decrease in plasma progesterone.