Ultrasonographic observation of ovarian follicular development via vaginal route

Ovarian follicular growth during periovulatory period was measured using real-time ultrasound via vaginal route. In 15 patients examined preliminarily by the abdominal procedure, the mean follicular diameter increased from 15.6mm on four days before ovulation to a maximum of 21.8mm on the day of ovulation. A clear distinction of follicular development during periovulatory period could be made in 40 patients by the vaginal procedure. The mean distance between follicle and scanner was 5.6cm in the vaginal observation, which was significantly shorter than those observed in the abdominal observation. Thus, real-time ultrasound examination via vaginal route appears to be a useful technique for assessing the ovarian follicular development.