The thickness of the uterine junctional zone: comparison between fertile and infertile women

Abstract

Despite various links of the uterine junctional zone (JZ) with (in)fertility, it has still not been precisely described which role the JZ plays in (in)fertility. The main goal of this study was to find out whether substantial differences exist between the JZ thickness of fertile and infertile women. Magnetic resonance imaging measurements were performed in 30 nullipara, 17 primipara and 22 infertile women during the three menstrual phases. Data were, when necessary, corrected for age and uterus volume. The results show that a normal JZ is '5 mm in thickness. During the luteal phase, the JZ was significantly thinner in contraceptive using nullipara women than in the non users. This might suggest that the luteal phase plays a role in fertility and that the JZ should not be too thin during this phase. This assumption was further supported by the findings in the primipara, i.e. a significantly thicker JZ, and in the infertile women, i.e. a thinner JZ.