On the 17th day of pregnancy albino rats were injectedintravenously with 144Ce-144Pr* chloride, citrate, nitrilotriacetate (NTA), or ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA) and sacrificed at intervals up to 4 days later. The radioactivity of fetuses, placentae, amniotic fluid, maternal blood and maternal femora was measured. Deposition of the four '@Ce compounds in the fetuses was small: the greatest deposition, 0.013 %of the injected dose deposited in one fetus, was observed 4 days after injection of lMCeEDTA. The radioactivity of the fetuses generally increased with time after injection 0f'~~CeC1, or lMCeEDTA. Deposition of144Ce in the fetuses was greatest after injection ofl'CeEDTA or 'We-citrate and least after injection of 144CeC1, or 'UCeNTA, but the differences were not always significant. Deposition of lUCe in the placenta was greatest after injection of lQ4CeEDTA. DeDosition of lMCe in maternal bone was significantly greater after injection of 'ace chelates than after injection of lWeC1,.