Table 1 Metadata on serum and faecal samples from meerkat dams.

Sample type	Dam category	Dam features			n samples by stage				n samples (total)
Sample type	Dam category	n	Mean age (year)	n litters	EP^a	MP	LP	PP^b	n samples (total)
Serum	Dominant control	18	4.3	27	6	6	15	[1]	27
	Subordinate control	17	2.2	22	5	8	9	[3]	22
	Total unique used	35	3.3	49	11	14	24	[4]	49
Faecal	Dominant control^c	20	4.9	31	(4)	23	39	26	88
	Subordinate control	16	1.5	18	(5)	8	23	19	50
	Dominant treated^c	6	5.4	7	–	–	17	1	18
	Total unique	36	3.8	51	(9)	31	79	46	156

^aToo few faecal samples (in parentheses) were obtained for analysis in early pregnancy (EP), relative to mid pregnancy (MP), late pregnancy (LP), and postpartum (PP), and are thus excluded from the total sample numbers reported (last column).
^bFemales typically were not captured during early PP, providing too few serum samples [in brackets] for analysis, and are thus excluded from the total sample numbers reported.
^cAll endocrine data obtained pre-implantation from matriarchs that would be later treated (i.e., dominant treated) contributed to the data from dominant control animals.

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