Follicula
r diamete
r is used as a guiding tool to p
redict ovulation in the ma
re. Howeve
r, the g
reat
range in p
reovulato
ry follicula
r diamete
r makes p
rediction of optimal b
reeding time based on follicula
r diamete
r un
reliable. Ute
rine edema patte
rn is also useful to dete
rmine the best time to b
reed, since intensity of edema tends to dissipate as ovulation app
roaches, howeve
r, not eve
ry ma
re follows this patte
rn. The aims of this study we
re to assess the
repeatability of p
reovulato
ry follicula
r diamete
r and ute
rine edema patte
rn in two consecutive spontaneous cycles and to dete
rmine how induction t
reatments (hCG, PGF
2rc="http://www.sciencedi
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reek small lette
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reek small lette
r alpha" bo
rde
r="0"> and GnRH analogues) influence them. Fifty-th
ree ma
res we
re followed du
ring two consecutive cycles and scanned th
ree times a day f
rom 2 to 3 days befo
re ovulation. Du
ring the fi
rst cycle, ma
res had a spontaneous ovulation and in the consecutive cycle ma
res
received eithe
r: (a) no ho
rmonal t
reatment; (b) 1500 IU hCG; (c) 125–250 μg Clop
rostenol o
r (d) 2.1 mg Deslo
relin implant. Ma
res ovulated consistently f
rom simila
r follicula
r diamete
rs in two consecutive spontaneous cycles (
r = 0.89;
P < 0.000). All th
ree induction t
reatments had a significant effect on
reducing the p
reovulato
ry follicula
r diamete
r (
P < 0.005). Ma
res showed fai
r co
rrelation in ute
rine edema patte
rns in both consecutive non-induced cycles (
r = 0.71;
P < 0.005). In conclusion ma
res in consecutive cycles ovulated f
rom consistent follicula
r diamete
rs. Follicula
r diamete
rs
reco
rded f
rom p
revious ovulations can be
relied on to p
redict the optimal b
reeding time in successive cycles especially in ma
res that ovulate f
rom unusually small follicles.