Morphometric characteristics of endometrial biopsies after different types of ovarian stimulation for infertility treatment.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate whether various types of ovarian stimulation induce differences in endometrial development at the midluteal phase in infertile women.

DESIGN

Assessment of stromal and glandular compartments in endometrial biopsies using morphometric criteria.

SETTING

Institute for Hormone and Fertility Research, Hamburg, Germany.

PATIENTS

The study included 18 women after treatment with human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG)/human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) (group I), 23 women after clomiphene citrate (CC)/hMG/hCG treatment (group II), and 12 women after CC stimulation (group III).

INTERVENTIONS

Endometrial biopsies and blood samples were taken simultaneously in the early to midluteal phase. To assess the time of ovulation, hormone analysis and regular checks by ultrasonography were performed.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Morphometric evaluation of glandular and stromal structures revealed an impaired endometrial development after various treatment protocols.

CONCLUSION

Ovarian stimulation in infertile women results in most cases in an elevation of steroid levels; however, the occurrence of an inadequate endometrial development might have an unfavorable influence on the outcome of implantation. Therefore, these findings may be of importance to the choice of treatment for infertility.