Effect of oestrogen and progesterone on the blood flow in the lower urinary tract of the rabbit

Abstract

The effects of oestrogen and of oestrogen combined with progesterone were examined on the fractional distribution of cardiac output (blood flow) in the genitourinary tissues of the female rabbit. Oestradiol treatment significantly increased blood perfusion in the uterus, vagina and urethra but caused no change in the perfusion of the urinary bladder or the kidneys. The wet weight of the uterus and vagina increased significantly and in the urethra there was a tendency to weight gain following oestradiol treatment. Progesterone treatment following oestrogen appeared to reduce the effect of oestrogen on both perfusion and weight gain.