Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

The structure of endometrial microvessels.

M Hickey1, I S Fraser

  • 1Imperial College School of Medicine at St Mary's, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, London, UK. m.hickey@ic.ac.uk

Human Reproduction (Oxford, England)
|October 21, 2000
PubMed
Summary

Progestogen-only contraceptives alter endometrial microvessel structure and integrity, potentially causing breakthrough bleeding. These changes include reduced vessel integrity and basal lamina deficiency, particularly with Norplant.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Co-production of a novel intervention targeting obesity-related barriers to mammographic screening participation.

Radiography (London, England : 1995)·2024
Same author

Co-design of an intervention to optimize mammographic screening participation in women with obesity and/or physical disabilities.

Radiography (London, England : 1995)·2024
Same author

Subjective cognitive changes following premenopausal risk-reducing bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy.

Climacteric : the journal of the International Menopause Society·2023
Same author

The association between <i>in utero</i> exposure to maternal psychological stress and female reproductive function in adolescence: A prospective cohort study.

Comprehensive psychoneuroendocrinology·2022
Same author

How common is add-on use and how do patients decide whether to use them? A national survey of IVF patients.

Human reproduction (Oxford, England)·2021
Same author

Prenatal exposure to maternal stressful life events and earlier age at menarche: the Raine Study.

Human reproduction (Oxford, England)·2021

Area of Science:

  • Reproductive Endocrinology
  • Gynecology
  • Vascular Biology

Background:

  • Progestogen-only contraceptives are widely used for birth control.
  • Breakthrough bleeding is a common side effect associated with these contraceptives.
  • Previous research suggests structural changes in endometrial microvessels.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the structural abnormalities of endometrial microvessels in users of progestogen-only contraception.
  • To explore the relationship between these structural changes and breakthrough bleeding.
  • To compare microvascular changes with normal menstruation and contraceptive steroid exposure.

Main Methods:

  • Immunohistochemical studies on endometrial tissue from low-dose progestogen users.
  • Electron microscopy to examine the endometrial endothelial basal lamina in Norplant users.
  • Hysteroscopic assessments of superficial endometrial vessel fragility.

Main Results:

  • Abnormalities in endometrial microvessel structure and reduced vessel integrity were observed.
  • Deficiency in the endometrial endothelial basal lamina was noted in early Norplant use, correlating with bleeding.
  • Increased fragility of superficial endometrial vessels was demonstrated.

Conclusions:

  • Structural changes in endometrial microvessels, including reduced integrity and increased fragility, are associated with progestogen-only contraceptive use.
  • These microvascular alterations are likely mechanisms contributing to breakthrough bleeding.
  • Exogenous progestogens may affect the control and growth of endometrial microvessels.

Related Experiment Videos