The possibility of detecting fetal lymphocytes in the maternal blood of the domestic pig, Sus scrofa.

Fourteen pregnant sows were examined to determine if transplacental migration of fetal lymphocytes had occurred. Giemsa-stained and C-banded karyotypes were examined. Male metaphases constituted 1% to 4% of all metaphases of peripheral blood leukocytes of pregnant sows. Regardless of the experimental method or stage of gestation, no essential differences were found in the number of male cells.