The density of cells in the anteroventral periventricular nucleus (AVPv) of the preoptic area of female rats was greater than that of males on day 21 of gestation. It appears that this difference between the sexes is caused by the action of androgen since the density of cells in the AVPv of female fetuses fell to the density in males when the mother received injections of testosterone propionate (TP) on days 14-18 of gestation. Pycnotic cells were more frequently found in oil-treated control males and TP-treated female fetuses than in control female fetuses. This result suggests that the prenatal injections of TP enhanced the rate of degeneration of the cells in the AVPv.