Morphometric analysis of the human endometrium in relation to peripheral hormone levels.

Twelve indices were quantitated at three sites in 68 endometrial biopsies from 14 women in five cycles each in which daily plasma levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol (E2), and progesterone (P) were measured. It was found that a single biopsy specimen is representative of the entire endometrium. Using classic dating, 59% of the biopsies were correct. The error rate increased with the distance from the LH surge. The morphometric indices revealed significant differences am ong all 48-hour secretory phase periods except days LH + 7 to LH + 10. The glandular diameter was positively correlated with proliferative phase E2 levels and with secretory phase P levels; the latter were negatively correlated with stromal mitoses. Basal vacuoles were negatively correlated with E2 and positively with P levels.