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PURPOSE: to evaluate the degree of pelvic adhesions in function of time and the different substances used in its prophylaxis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: prospective study with 120 female, albino, virgin Wistar rats, 3 to 4 months of age, weighing approximately 250 g, randomly divided into 10 groups of 12 animals each: control, without lesion; lesions and without treatment; lesions + 0.9% physiologic saline, lesions + Ringer lactate; lesions + 32% dextran 70; lesions + Ringer lactate/heparin; lesions + Ringer lactate/dexamethasone; lesions + Ringer lactate/hydrocortisone/dexamethasone/ampicillin; lesions + Ringer lactate/albumin, and lesions + 1% carboxymethylcellulose. The animals were anesthetized and two types of lesions (scarification and electrocauterization) were performed in the uterine horns, followed by treatment with the solutions, intraperitoneally, to prevent pelvic adhesions. On the 7th, 14th and 28th postoperative days, moments M1, M2 and M3, respectively, the presence of adhesions was evaluated in 4 rats of each group. The methods applied to the quantification of the adhesions were based on Cohen’s classification, with scores varying from 0 to 4+ according to the amount, characteristics and location of the adhesions. Statistical analysis was performed by parametric tests for analysis of variance and the Kruskal-Wallis test. RESULTS: the best treatments for prevention of pelvic adhesions in female rats were Ringer lactate/dexamethasone (score 1+ prevalence), 32% dextran 70 to (score 2+ prevalence) and Ringer lactate/hydrocortisone/dexamethasone/ampicillin (score 2+ prevalence). The postoperative period, represented by moment M3, and the surgical technique, predominantly with score 0, influenced adhesiolysis and maintenance of pelvic adhesions in female rats. CONCLUSIONS: the prevention of pelvic adhesions in female rats begins with the surgical process at a smaller extent of tissue damage. The use of prophylactic substances (solutions) had a varied effectiveness, since some were more efficient than others.