title: Structural and ultrastructural patterns of the human preovulatory endometrium following clomiphene citrate treatment.
abstract: To investigate ultrastructural modifications in the endometrium of women receiving clomiphene citrate (CC) treatment, we performed endometrial biopsies in the preovulatory phase in 17 patients with anovulatory infertility and 16 normo-ovulating women with tubal or male sterility. Histology, scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM) revealed midproliferative phase aspects in 11.7% of the treated group and 6% of the controls, late proliferative aspects in 76.4% and 82%, and postovulation days 1-3 characteristics in 11.7% and 12% respectively. No significant differences were observed between the patients and controls; our data indicate that CC taken in a dose not exceeding 100 mg/day from day 3 of the cycle can induce endometrial maturation that is almost identical with that of a spontaneous preovulatory phase. This type of endometrium should therefore allow implantation of a fertilized egg and maintain unmodified the complex biohumoral relations with the embryo.
authors.affiliation: 1 Clinica Ostetrica e Ginecologica L. Mangiagalli, Universitá di Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fedele
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marchini
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baglioni
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dorta
authors.forename: G B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Candiani
mesh_terms: D002996:Clomiphene / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004717:Endometrium / Q000166:cytology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000188:drug therapy; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000187:drug effects*; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000166:cytology* / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D002996:Clomiphene