ELECTRON MICROSCOPE COMPARISON OF ENDOMETRIUM FROM UTERINE SEPTUM AND ENDOMETRIUM FROM THE LATERAL WALL
Abstract
Background. Septate uterus is an important risk factor for spontaneous abortion and preterm delivery. The role of septate uterus in infertility is still questionable. The mechanism of the adverse effects of a septate uterus is not yet understood. The basic theory proposes that the septum represents a less suitable environment for a developing embryo when compared to the unaffected uterine wall. The aim of our study was to compare the endometrial surface morphology in women with septate uterus.
Material and methods. This prospective observational study includes endometrial biopsies that were taken from women with uterine septum. We have included 30 consecutive women who came for the hysteroscopic resection of the septum. The operation was scheduled at the time of the implantation window; an endometrial biopsy was performed and samples were taken from the septum and from the lateral wall and compared under electron microscope. Pinopode development stage and the number of endometrial glands were the main outcome measures.
Results. Comparison of the endometrium from the septum with that of the lateral wall showed no difference in the number of endometrial glands (2.0 endometrial glands seen at 250 × magnification vs. 2.5; ns ), not even in the pinopode stage (17.7 day vs. 18.1 day, ns).
Conclusions. To our knowledge, there are three researches that have compared endometrium from the septum to the endometrium from the lateral wall in infertile women and all have differences in observed parameters. Our results cannot support earlier findings. The question of mechanism, how septum influences on pregnancy should be further investigated in the larger sample.
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