Midluteal phase endometrial biopsy does not accurately predict luteal function.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether a midluteal phase endometrial biopsy accurately predicts luteal function.


METHODS
One nonpregnant menstrual cycle was evaluated in a prospective fashion.


METHODS
Outpatient Clinic of the Clinical Center of the National Institutes of Health.


METHODS
Fifty healthy, normally cycling women.


METHODS
Serum progesterone (P) was measured daily throughout the luteal phase. An endometrial biopsy was performed 7 to 9 days after the luteinizing hormone (LH) surge, as detected by rapid plasma assays, and dated histologically according to Noyes' criteria.


METHODS
To correlate endometrial maturation with luteal P secretion.


RESULTS
Mean integrated P measurements were reduced only when the lag between histologic and chronological dating was > or = 3 days or > or = 4 days, depending on whether chronological dates were assigned prospectively from the LH surge or retrospectively from the onset of next menses, respectively. However, these lags did not consistently predict deficient luteal function because subnormal integrated P secretion was seen in only 14% of women with these delays in endometrial maturation.


CONCLUSIONS
Midluteal phase endometrial biopsy provides a crude test of luteal function that does not precisely distinguish luteal insufficiency.
Batista
M C
MC
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Warren Grant Magnuson Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892.
Cartledge
T P
TP
Merino
M J
MJ
Axiotis
C
C
Platia
M P
MP
Merriam
G R
GR
Loriaux
D L
DL
Nieman
L K
LK
D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D003338:Corpus Luteum / Q000502:physiology*; D004717:Endometrium / Q000254:growth & development / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D008183:Luteal Phase; D008597:Menstrual Cycle; D008875:Middle Aged; D011374:Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors
D011374:Progesterone