Disruption of early pregnancy by direct and indirect exposure to novel males in mice: comparison of influences of preputialectomized and intact males

Inseminated female CF-1 mice (Mus musculus) were exposed on days 1 to 5 of pregnancy to unfamiliar outbred males. In the first experiment, inseminated females were each housed directly with the sire, a preputialectomized male, or an intact male. Both types of novel male attempted to mate with the female during this period, unlike the sire. Reinsemination occurred in a significant proportion of the females that were exposed to novel males; this …