Thermoregulatory ability of female rats during pregnancy and lactation.

Thermoregulatory ability of female rats was examined before pregnancy, during gestation, and during lactation. Thermoregulatory pattern, colonic temperature, evaporative water loss, and survival time were monitored during terminal heating (39.5 +/- 0.9 degrees C) designed to allow prolonged survival (3-4 h) with a sustained thermoregulatory effort. Results confirmed our previously reported observation of decreased thermoregulatory ability in lactating dams, with evidence suggesting thermoregulatory impairment during late gestation. Lactating dams displayed a type III thermoregulatory pattern, and established a rate of evaporative water loss effective for thermostasis at an elevated colonic temperature. However, survival time was significantly decreased compared to nonreproducing females. In contrast, prior heat acclimation tended to increase the survival time of lactating dams. It was concluded that the reduction in thermoregulatory ability observed in lactating dams was related to their inability to maintain a rate of evaporative water loss effective for thermostasis at an elevated colonic temperature.