ENDOMETRIAL WAVE-LIKE ACTIVITY, ENDOMETRIAL THICKNESS, AND ULTRASOUNDTEXTURE IN CONTROLLED OVARIAN HYPERSTIMULATION CYCLES

Objective: To describe endometrial wavelike activity, endometrial thic kness, and texture in controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) cycles . Design: Prospective observational ultrasound study. Setting: Univers ity hospital-based infertility clinic. Patient(s): Thirty-five COH cyc les in 19 women with unexplained infertility. Intervention(s): Transva ginal ultrasound examination was performed throughout COH cycles. Intr auterine insemination was performed after hCG administration. Main Out come Measure(s): Endometrial wavelike activity, wave frequency, wave v elocity, endometrial thickness, and endometrial texture. Result(s): En dometrial wavelike activity increased from menstruation to ovulation a nd decreased in the luteal phase. On day hCG+2, endometrial wave-like activity was observed in all cycles. Waves from cervix to fundus preva iled in the periovulatory phase. Endometrial wavelike activity was rel ated significantly to endometrial thickness at the start of ovarian st imulation and in the luteal phase. Endometrial thickness increased thr oughout the cycle. Endometrial texture showed periovulatory a triple-l ine aspect. Conclusion(s): In COH cycles, endometrial wavelike activit y is more pronounced than in spontaneous cycles. The number of follicl es and endometrial wavelike activity were not correlated significantly . This is the first prospective study to provide longitudinal observat ional evidence that endometrial thickness increases throughout the COH cycle and that a triple line pattern develops. (Fertil Steril(R) 1998 ;70:279-83. (C)1998 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine.).