P-365 Pre-selected for an award: Altered endometrial oestrogen-responsiveness and aberrant expression of cell-fate markers may contribute to the aetiology of recurrent pregnancy loss

AbstractStudy questionDo women with recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) have an aberrant expression of oestrogen receptor- β (ERβ) and cell-fate markers during the window of implantation (WOI) endometrium?Summary answerWomen with RPL are found to have significantly altered levels of ER β and Ki-67 in the WOI endometrium, possibly resulting in anti-proliferative and anti-angiogenic effects.What is known alreadyRPL affects 1% of all women and has been associated with altered endometrial angiogenesis and proliferation when compared with the endometrium of healthy fertile women. RPL can be subcategorised into recurrent loss of anembryonic pregnancy, fetal loss (following evidence of a fetal heartbeat) and recurrent implantation failure (RIF). ER β is the only oestrogen-receptor (ER) known to be expressed in the vascular endothelium of the endometrium and is the dominant ER during the WOI. It has an important role in endometrial regeneration and is proposed to regulate the angiogenic and vascular changes that occur in embryo implantation. Study design, size, durationThis pilot case-control study took place at the Liverpool Women ’s Hospital and included 38 women; 29 who suffered RPL and 9 controls with proven fertility (≥2 healthy pregnancies). Of the RPL group, 9 had recurrent loss of anembryonic pregnancy, 10 had recurrent fetal loss and 10 had RIF. Endometrial samples were collected during the WOI (cycle day 22+/-2).Participants/materials, setting, methodsTo determine wheth...
Source: Human Reproduction - Category: Reproduction Medicine Source Type: research