Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF )
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Gerhard, I.
Right arrow Articles by Runnebaum, B.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Gerhard, I.
Right arrow Articles by Runnebaum, B.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

Human Reproduction, Vol. 5, No. 8, pp. 906-914, 1990
© 1990 European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology

other

Value of endometrial biopsies and serum hormone determinations in women with infertility

I. Gerhard1,, E. Bechthold, W. Eggert-Kruse, D. Heberling2 and B. Runnebaum

Department of Gynaecological Endocrinology Vosstrasse 9, D-6900 Heidelberg, FRG 2Department of Morphology, Women's Hospital, University of Heidelberg Vosstrasse 9, D-6900 Heidelberg, FRG

Correspondence: 1To whom correspondence should be addressed

Premenstrual endometrial biopsies were performed in 324 infertile women. Their hormonal status was established in the early follicular phase of the same cycle (FSH, LH, oestradiol-17{beta}, testosterone, DHEAS, TSH and prolactin, the latter two both basally and following TRH stimulation). In the luteal phase, oestradiol-17{beta} and progesterone concentrations were determined three times between the fifth and tenth hyperthermic days, as was prolactin, both basally and following metoclopramide stimulation. All pregnancies occurring before January 1986 were recorded. Seventy-five per cent of the biopsies were evaluated on the expected ovulation date from the basal temperature charts, 77% according to the next onset of menstruation. Twenty-six per cent of the biopsies were out of phase, and 7% displayed abortive secretion. A significant correlation existed between endometrial profiles and the characteristics of the cycle, stimulated TSH and prolactin levels, and with testosterone and FSH concentrations. No correlation of the endometrial status with midluteal oestradiol or progesterone concentrations was found. While various hormones of both the follicular and luteal phases correlated significantly with the pregnancy rate, the same was not demonstrated for the state of endometrial biopsy. Therefore, following exclusion of organic explanations of infertility in women with biphasic cycles, the determination of progesterone and oestradiol-17{beta} in the luteal phase was considered. In women with reduced concentrations of these hormones, androgens, gonadotrophins, prolactin and TSH should be determined. Endometrial biopsy is valuable only if pregnancy fails to occur, despite therapeutically normalized hormone concentrations.

Key words: endometrial biopsy/infertility/pregnancy prognosis/serum hormones


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?




Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.