Effects of Caesarean Delivery upon Maternal Behavior in Rats.

Abstract

Primiparous female rats were delivered by Caesarean section approx. 24 hrs. before term. Maternal behavior of these animals was compared with that of primiparae which delivered normally and with nulliparous rats given foster litters. 70% of the exptl. females showed nest building and retrieving responses equal to those of the normally-delivered mothers. None of the nulliparous and 30% of the exptl. failed to build nests or retrieve young. It is concluded that normal maternal behavior is possible in rats that have never delivered young.