Table 4.
Progesterone concentration mean (± SD) (pg/mg claw), range, progesterone Z-score mean (± SD), range and a description of the difference from the second most (D) to most recently deposited (P) bands. The expectation is that seals which are unimplanted, implanted and post-partum would show an increase in concentration from D to P, while non-pregnant and anovulatory seals would decrease or be the same. NA indicates there was no, or too few, data to calculate the mean (e.g. for non-pregnant and unimplanted bearded seals)
| Species | Pregnancy status | Sample size | [Progesterone] mean (± SD) | [Progesterone] range | Progesterone Z-score mean (± SD) | Progesterone Z-score range | Difference from D to P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bearded seal | Non-pregnant | 0 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| Unimplanted (early pregnancy) | 1 | 153.4 | NA | 3.3 | NA | Increase | |
| Implanted (mid-pregnancy) | 3 | 66.7 ± 48.7 | 93.5–217.1 | 0.26 ± 1.6 | -0.7–2.1 | Decrease from high point | |
| Postpartum (late-pregnancy) | 12 | 76.1 ± 25.4 | 42.9–123.9 | 1.5 ± 1.42 | -0.3–4.3 | 9 of 12: Increase | |
| Anovulatory | 0 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | |
| Ringed seal | Non-pregnant | 3 | 84.9 ± 41.9 | 111.7–147.6 | -1.9 ± 0.95 | -2.7 – -0.9 | Decrease |
| Unimplanted (early pregnancy) | 4 | 126.5 ± 15.6 | 93.5–217.1 | -0.07 ± 0.98 | -11–0.8 | 3: same, 1: decrease | |
| Implanted (mid-pregnancy) | 6 | 159.6 ± 48.7 | 93.5–217. 1 | 0.39 ± 1.9 | -2.8–2.2 | 4 of 6: Increase | |
| Postpartum (late-pregnancy) | 0 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | |
| Anovulatory | 4 | 82.0 ± 15.8 | 65.7–103.7 | -2.5 ± 1.2 | -3.6 – -0.9 | Decrease or same |