Uterine receptivity in women receiving steroid replacement therapy for premature ovarian failure: ultrastructural and endocrinological parameters

Abstract

Endometrial biopsies and plasma oestradiol (E2) and progesterone (P4) levels in 23 patients were evaluated during 26 replacement therapy cycles for premature ovarian failure. Plasma E2 and P4 levels showed wide patient to patient variability, despite each patient being given the same hormone replacement therapy. Biopsies were studied by conventional histological dating and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Eight morphological features of the surface epithelium that have previously been linked to uterine receptivity for implantation were identified and quantified. No correlation was found between endometrial surface morphology by SEM and circulating E2 and P4 levels. The results of this study do not support the hypothesis that there is an obligatory link between any of the eight morphological features measured in this study and uterine receptivity for implantation. To date, three ongoing pregnancies have been achieved following 18 embryo transfers to a total of 10 of the women in the study group.