Biopsy studies of human endometrium: criteria of dating and information about amenorrhea, menorrhagia, and time of ovulation.

Abstract

Interest in the factors of female fertility has led us to a study of the endometrium, for among the cyclic changes in this tissue is written the story of the patient's menstruation, and from this we have traditionally sought insight into her ovarian behavior. Long before modern endocrinology a close association was recognized between uterine flow and fertility. Of late we have enjoyed the demonstration of causal relationship between the hormones of the follicles and of the corpus luteum on the one hand and of changes in the endometrium on the other. Work done in both the clinic and the laboratory shows that estrogen is the specific hormone of the growing and ripe follicle and that it causes proliferation of the endometrium. This is a true growth of the mucosa evidenced by many mitoses in the glandular epithelium, an increase in the number and complexity of the glands and an