Rats have an attenuated febrile response to exogenous (e.g. bacterial endotoxin) and endogenous pyrogen (e.g. interleukin-1beta) near the term of pregnancy, the mechanism of which is unknown. The present experiments were carried out on 71 non-pregnant and 181 pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats to determine if basal levels of the endogenous antipyretic substance, interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra), change relative to interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) throughout gestation. Furthermore, we have constructed complete Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) dose-core temperature response curves in non-pregnant and pregnant rats on days 10, 15 and 20 of gestation (term of gestation ~21 days) to determine if the attenuated febrile response near the term of pregnancy results from a simple shift of the dose-response relationship or results from a dampening of the overall dose-response relationship. Basal IL-1beta, as determined by ELISA on trunk blood from non-pregnant and pregnant rats on days 10, 15 and 20 of gestation (d10, d15, d20), did not change significantly during pregnancy. Basal IL-1ra, however, was increased significantly in d15 rats as compared to non-pregnant, and d10 and d20 rats. The attenuated febrile response near the term of pregnancy, as determined by biotelemetry, did not result from a simple shift of the E. coli LPS dose-core temperature response curve but rather a dampening of the overall dose-response relationship. The febrile responses to EC(50) and EC(100) doses of E. coli LPS were preceded by a period of hypothermia, and were delayed and attenuated near the term of pregnancy as compared to that observed early in pregnancy and in non-pregnant rats. Our data provide evidence that pregnant rats are more sensitive to the hypothermia-producing effects of E. coli LPS than are non-pregnant rats and allow us to speculate that elevated basal IL-1ra may play a role in mediating the attenuated febrile response to pyrogen on day 15 but not on day 20 of gestation in rats. Experimental Physiology (2003) 88.6, 747-754.