[Different patterns of follicular development and luteal function].
OBJECTIVE
To study the relationship between luteal function and different patterns of follicular development.


METHODS
Different patterns of follicular development as observed under transvaginal B-ultrasound in 85 infertile patients included: (1) Ovulation from normal follicle (ONF). (2) Ovulation from two follicles at the same cycle (O2F). (3) Ovulation from small follicle (OSF). (4) Ovulation from polycystic ovaries (PCO). (5) Luteinized unruptured follicle syndrome (LUFS). (6) Anovulation with follicular atresia. The luteal function of the first 5 types was evaluated by serum and peritoneal fluid estrogen, progesterone levels, endometrial histology, estradiol receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) analyaes, and the length of luteal phase.


RESULTS
The incidence of luteal phase deficiency (LPD): short luteal phase was 10.42%, retardation of endometrial development was 4.17% in ONF, no LPD in O2F, 21.42% in OSF, 2/3 in PCO, 3/6 in LUFS, respectively. The incidence of LPD was 14.58% in ONF, 56.52% in abnormal follicular development groups (OSF, O2F and LUFS) (P < 0.005). It was found that the retardation of endometrial development was associated either with lowered serum P level or normal serum P but lowered ER and PR concentrations. The latter condition was recognized as "pseudocorpus luteum deficiency".


CONCLUSIONS
The different patterns of follicular development may exert a great influence over luteal function through the different production of steroid hormones and their receptors.
Gu
L
L
Third Hospital, Beijing Medical University.
Zhang
L
L
Gu
F
F
D003338:Corpus Luteum / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004717:Endometrium / Q000254:growth & development; D004958:Estradiol / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003341:Luteolysis; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011374:Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism; D014463:Ultrasonography
D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol