Endometrial and subendometrial perfusion are impaired in women with unexplained subfertility

Abstract

Background: We used three-dimensional power Doppler angiography (3D-PDA) to examine the periodic changes in endometrial development and subendometrial vascularity during the normal menstrual cycle in 29 women with unexplained subfertility and 19 controls. Methods: 3D-PDA was performed on alternate days from day 3 of the cycle until ovulation and then every 4 days until menses. VOCAL™ (Virtual Organ Computer-aided AnaLysis) and shell-imaging were used to define and to quantify the power Doppler signal within the endometrial and subendometrial regions producing indices of their relative vascularity. Results: Women with unexplained subfertility demonstrated significant changes with time (P < 0.001) in the indices of vascularity within the endometrium and subendometrium during the menstrual cycle characterized by a pre-ovulatory peak and post-ovulatory fall. These changes mirrored those observed in the control group but were significantly reduced in the endometrium and subendometrium during the mid-late follicular phase and early luteal phase. There were no differences in endometrial thickness or volume between the groups or in the plasma concentrations of estradiol or progesterone. Conclusions: Endometrial and subendometrial vascularity are significantly reduced in women with unexplained subfertility during the mid-late follicular phase irrespective of estradiol or progesterone concentrations and endometrial morphometry. © European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology 2004; all rights reserved.