Gonadotrophin and testosterone levels were measured in male foetal rats at the 21st day of gestation 30 min following administration of LRH. The releasing hormone was administered by 3 different routes: subcutaneously as a single injection to the pregnant rat; subcutaneously as 12 times repeated injection to the pregnant rat from 16th–21st day of gestation: direct injection into the amniotic cavity. Three different doses of 1, 5, and 10 μg/kg were used. The single administration to the dam was without effect. Repeated doses resulted in a significant dose‐dependent elevation of mean foetal LH: 163 μng/ml in the control animals and 133, 256, and 363 ng/ml in the 1, 5, and 10 μg/kg LRH group resp. Intra amnial injections significantly increased FSH and LH levels, but only those of FSH were clearly dose‐dependent. A mean of 390 ng/ml in the control group was observed, with 1 μg/kg LRH FSH was elevated to 723 ng/ml, at 5 μg/kg to 928 and at 10 μg/kg to 1017 ng/ml. Testosterone levels were not significantly altered. Our results demonstrate that the pituitary of foetal rats is able to respond to LRH in the same manner as ad