[Hysteroscopy in midluteal phase of human endometrium evaluation of functional aspect of the endometrium]

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the possibility of hysteroscopic assessment of functional aspects of the human endometrium. Hysteroscopic findings were classified according to the characteristics of the endometrial glandular opening (GO) and vascular development (V). Thirty-six women with a regular menstrual cycle were evaluated. Of these, ring type GO and type 2 V (moderately developed branching vessels) were seen only after the 17th menstrual day. Of 9 cases on the 21st to the 24th day, 7 had ring type GO, and 5 had type 3 V (well developed varicose-like vessels). Fifty-five infertile women with a regular menstrual cycle were evaluated in the midluteal phase. Of these, 32 cases had ring type GO and type 3 V (classed as group 1), and 23 cases had another type of GO and V (classed as group 2). The number of women whose serum progesterone level was lower than 7 ng/ml was larger in group 2 (p less than 0.05). Both the mean endometrial thickness and maximum follicular diameter measured by ultrasonography were greater in group 1 (p less than 0.01). These results strongly suggest that the hysteroscopic assessment of functional aspects of the endometrium is possible, and the appearance of ring type GO and type 3 V is the result of normally functioning midluteal endometrium.