Pregnant Uterus - Non-Infectious Pathology

NON-INFECTIOUS CONDITIONS OF PREGNANT UTERUS

• Rupture: usually during parturition as a result of untreated or mishandled dystocia.
• Ventral herniation: result of muscle weakness, old age or trauma. The heavily pregnant uterus can herniate through abdominal muscle wall lateral to mid-line. Seen in the cow and mare.
• Adventitial placentation: formation of additional sites of placentation between existing placentomes. May result from loss of caruncles due to previous endometritis. A condition of ruminants, normally cows have 75-120 caruncles and sheep and goats have 40-125.
• Hydramnios and hydroallantois: accumulation of excess fluid in amniotic and allantoic sacs. Seen in cows but rare, usually only one condition seen at any time.
  • Hydroamnios=associated with foetal abnormalities.
  • Hydroallantois=associated with adventitial placentation or twin pregnancy.
  • Anasarca=either of the above conditions may result in accumulation of fluid in the foetus.
• Prolonged gestation: due to foetal malformation e.g. absence of pituitary gland (Holstein, Guernsey cattle) or anencephaly. Disturbance of foetal pituitary adrenal axis leads to failure of release of foetal corticosteroids and failure of induction of parturition.

Information by permission of Professor RW Else