Endometrial regeneration after voluntary abortion.
Endometrial biopsies were obtained on postabortal days 1 to 36 in 42 women without contraception, in 28 women using oral contraceptives, and in 12 women with intrauterine devices. Tissue samples were examined for day-to-day sequential changes, specifically: a)regenerative, repair, proliferative and secretory activity, b)involution of pregnancy changes, c)inflammation. In the absence of contraception, the endometrium promptly regenerated. The earliest evidence of ovulation was on day 9. One-third of the women ovulated before the first period. Incomplete placental and decidual involution was seen in 45% of patients, but its frequency progressively decreased toward the end of observation. Inflammation seen in 26% was limited to the retained decidua and was, therefore, thought to be a reactive rather than an infectious phenomenon. In women taking oral contraceptives, initial regeneration was also prompt. "On pill" changes resembled the nonpostabortal picture except for a few cases of cystic glandular dilation, or Arias-Stella-like phenomena. Retained decidua and inflammation were more frequent (75% and 68%) than in the noncontraceptive group, and the diminishing trend was not observed. In the intrauterine device group, inflammation was more frequent (83%) than in the other two groups and was not limited to the decidua.
D000028:Abortion, Induced; D001706:Biopsy; D003273:Contraceptive Devices; D003276:Contraceptives, Oral; D004716:Endometritis / Q000473:pathology; D004717:Endometrium / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007434:Intrauterine Devices; D010060:Ovulation; D011247:Pregnancy; D012038:Regeneration; D013997:Time Factors
D003276:Contraceptives, Oral