Results of Giant Panda Pregnancy Tests Unclear
From Times Wire Reports
The National Zoo’s giant panda, Mei Xiang, might be pregnant, scientists said. Or she could be in the midst of a pseudopregnancy.
Scientists suspect a pregnancy because they spotted a rise in Mei Xiang’s progestin hormone levels, but ultrasound scans have detected no evidence of a fetal panda, the Washington zoo said in a statement.
Panda fetuses do not start developing until the last weeks of a gestation period, so zoo veterinarians said they were not surprised that no fetus was evident.
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