The Histopathology of the Endometrium

Abstract

Almost all hormonal dysregulations (that is, endocrinopathies) and organic diseases of the endometrium produce atypical uterine bleeding. Clinically, the cause of the bleeding often remains unclear. Therefore, the attending gynecologist will attempt to establish a diagnosis in all his patients with unexplained bleeding by submitting curettings for histological study. Most causes of atypical uterine bleeding can be revealed histologically. The percentage of patients whose endometrial curettings fail to disclose pathological changes is small, varying from 3.6% to 18%, depending upon the investigator who makes the examination (Lau and Stoll 1963; also for further literature). The cause of the bleeding in that small percentage of women is either morphologically extrauterine or functionally extraovarian (see Table 6).