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Feeding rats a purified diet containing peanut oil with a low alpha-linolenic acid [18:3(n-3)] content resulted in lower amounts of (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids, mainly docosahexaenoic acid [22:6(n-3)], greater amounts of docosapentaenoic acid [22:5(n-6)] in uterus phospholipids, and altered postnatal uterus development when compared with rats fed a diet containing peanut and rapeseed oils. Maximal differences in uterine growth, as measured by uterine weight, protein and DNA content, occurred between d 24 and 30 postpartum and disappeared near the end of sexual development (d 40). The induction of the progesterone receptor was not affected, and serum estradiol concentrations were not significantly reduced in deficient animals. Moreover, growth response of the uterus to low doses of 17 beta-estradiol (less than 5 micrograms/kg) was significantly reduced in ovariectomized animals fed the diet containing only peanut oil. However, the maximal response of the uterus, observed with higher 17 beta-estradiol doses (5-50 micrograms/kg), was not affected. Because the two diets used differed in the content of alpha-linolenic acid, it is likely that alpha-linolenic acid deficiency in animals fed the diet containing only peanut oil was the cause of the affected uterine development.