Abstract
Secretory phase of menstruation and implantation
Highlights
The female reproductive system prepares the female body for conception and pregnancy through two distinct cycles, the ovarian cycle and the endometrial cycle
The ovarian cycle is characterized by follicular development mediated by FSH, ovulation mediated by the LH surge, and development of the corpus luteum and production of progesterone
Estrogen drives the restoration of the functionalis layer with re-epithelialization by approximately Day 5 of the menstrual cycle. This phase is characterized by hypertrophy and proliferation of glands, increase in stromal matrix, and elongation of terminal arterioles to the endometrial lumen
Summary
The female reproductive system prepares the female body for conception and pregnancy through two distinct cycles, the ovarian cycle and the endometrial cycle. The human endometrium, under the influence of complex biological signals, undergoes cyclic changes in preparation for implantation and the initiation of pregnancy. An array of molecular activity, still poorly understood, gives rise to relatively consistent morphologic changes of the endometrium during each cycle. Success in the field of reproduction and fertility requires an understanding of these complex processes, from molecular to cellular to tissue, in both the healthy patient as well as in the setting of various pathologic states. This article will discuss the endometrial cycle with an emphasis on the secretory phase, including the molecular and biochemical components of endometrial receptivity and implantation. Markers and techniques for assessment of receptivity will be reviewed, as well as pathologic states that alter fertility
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