Behavioral Changes Before and After Parturition (Giving Birth) in the Rat

Maternal behavior is an attractive behavior to study because it consists of a number of clear-cut behaviors
that are easy to observe and record under laboratory conditions.

Maternal behavior in rats and mice consists of the following elements:

• retrieving
• nest building
• nursing
• licking pups
• maternal aggression

The diagrams on this page show the emergence of three maternal behaviors in the rat before, and after, parturition.

Notice that maternal behavior is virtually absent during pregnancy but appear suddenly at parturition.

What is responsible for the rapid initiation of maternal behavior postpartum?

One possibility - quickly disproved - was that the birth of the pups (through the birth canal) was responsible for the onset of maternal behavior . In fact, delivering pups via Cesarean section does not disrupt the rapid onset of maternal behavior.

Explanation of terms:

• parturition = birth
• prepartum = the period before birth
• postpartum = the period after birth

• the 'Separator Tool' allows you to see the changes 'one-behaviour-at-a-time'
• the 'Overlayer Tool' allows you to build up a picture of changes in all three behaviors during pregnancy