Pregnancy initiation in postpartum estrus in three species of muroid rodents.

Pregnancy initiation in postpartum estrus was studied in 14 male-female pairs of white-footed mice, Peromyscus leucopus; 12 pairs of prairie voles, Microtus ochrogaster; and 14 pairs of montane voles, M. montanus. When mated for one ejaculatory series, the percentages of females pregnant were 25, 43, and 71% for M. ochrogaster, M. montanus, and P. leucopus, respectively. Whereas mating to satiety produced a significant increase in the probability of pregnancy relative to mating for one ejaculatory series in M. montanus, there was no significant difference in P. leucopus. M. ochrogaster did not differ significantly when mated for one ejaculation versus two. P. leucopus resemble P. maniculatus in having a lower stimulus requirement for pregnancy initiation in postpartum than in cycling estrus. M. ochrogaster resemble laboratory rats in having a higher stimulus requirement for pregnancy initiation in postpartum estrus. M. montanus show no significant difference.