Prostaglandin E1 increases blood flow to the cervix uteri

PGE1 occurs in high concentration in seminal fluid and is apparently necessary for normal fertility, although its specific function(s) is not known. We investigated the possibility that PGE1, at seminal fluid concentration, could increase cervical blood flow and, thus, potentially alter cervical mucus properties, including O2 concentration. Fifteen micrograms PGE1/ml placed directly on the cervix uteri increased cervical blood flow in anesthetized dogs from 0.8 +/- 0.7 to 5.7 +/- 5.1 ml/g.min 5 min following application without affecting arterial pressure or hepatic or renal blood flow. Seminal PGE1 may have effects upon oxygen tension in the cervical mucus, as well as aiding leukocyte accumulation in the cervical canal, by increasing cervical blood flow.