Reproductive functioning in the prenatally stressed female rat.

The reproductive behavior and physiology of female offspring of rats stressed during pregnancy were assessed. Mothers were restrained and placed under bright, hot lights from Day 14 through 21 of gestation. This treatment, which is known to disrupt the sexual behavior of male offspring, did not alter reproductive functioning in the female offspring. The females showed evidence of normal cyclicity, sexual behavior, pregnancy, parturition, pup survival, and maternal behavior when tested beginning at 70 or at 140 days of age.