Studies on the duration of egg transport by the human oviduct. II. Ovum location at various intervals following luteinizing hormone peak.

The location of ova in the genital tract between 24 and 144 hours following the LH peak was determined in 23 normal women. Nineteen eggs were found in the Fallopian tubes between 24 and 96 hours and five eggs were recovered from the endometrial cavity between 96 and 144 hours following the LH peak. According to the present data and considering that ovulation occurs in the human subject nearly 17 hours after the LH peak, it is concluded that the transport of unfertilized ova in women is characterized by a period of retention in the ampulla, which lasts approximately 72 hours, followed by rapid transit through the isthmus and appearance of the ovum in the endometrial cavity around 80 hours after ovulation.