Fig. 3. Effects of subcutaneous treatment (saline or oxytocin) on behavioral manifestations of parturition and on induced spinal Fos-like immunoreactive (Fos-LI) neurons. ( A ) Number of stretches, ( B ) labor duration (min), and ( C ) number of Fos-LI neurons at the level of L5–S1 of the spinal cord in parturient rats ( white bars ), in saline-parturient rats ( gray bars ), and in oxytocin-parturient rats ( black bars ). Data are expressed as mean ± SEM. *** P < 0.001 when compared with saline-parturient group. ## P < 0.01 when compared with parturient group. s.c. = subcutaneous.