What is the proliferative endometrium like?

Menstruation is something that every girl will experience during her growth process. Menstruation itself is a normal physiological phenomenon of the female body. The principle behind it is a continuous cycle of growth and shedding of a layer of tissue membrane. However, due to the particularity of the female physiological structure, it is a process that requires a lot of endurance for the uterus during this period, as the individual may experience unbearable pain. So what issues should be paid attention to for the endometrium in the proliferative stage?

Under normal circumstances, the endometrium is divided into two layers: the functional layer and the basal layer. The functional layer undergoes periodic changes with the menstrual cycle. The endometrium is in the proliferative phase from 5 to 14 days of menstruation, the secretory phase from 15 days of menstruation to before menstruation, and the menstrual phase from 1 to 4 days after menstruation, which is the time when the functional layer of the endometrium falls off.

With the cyclical changes in ovarian hormones, the endometrium also undergoes cyclical changes. The proliferative phase of the endometrium generally occurs between the 5th and 14th days of the menstrual cycle, which corresponds to the stage of follicular development and maturation. During menstruation, the endometrium is shed and gradually replaced by new growth. Around the 5th to 9th day of the cycle, under the action of estrogen secreted by the follicles, the endometrium is just repaired but is still thin. The glandular epithelium is cubic, with a round nucleus located at the bottom of the cell; the gland is loose, with a narrow and straight lumen; the interstitium is dense, with relatively straight and thin-walled arterioles growing toward the surface of the endometrium. Around the 10th to 14th day of the cycle, the endometrium gradually thickens to about 2 to 3 mm, the glands and interstitium both proliferate significantly, the number of glands increases, and the glandular cavities become larger and more curved. The glandular epithelial cells are tall columnar, with the nucleus moving from the bottom to the middle of the cell. The interstitium is dense, the cells change from spindle-shaped to star-shaped, the arterioles in the interstitium proliferate and elongate, curl in a spiral shape, and the lumen enlarges. Biochemical studies of the endometrium have found that estrogen prompts endometrial stromal cells to produce an acidic mucopolysaccharide, which is concentrated and polymerized to form the basic substance in the stroma, supporting the growth of the endometrium during the proliferative phase.

During this period, some women who go for examinations will find that the phenomenon is very similar to the thickening of the endometrium, and they worry that it will affect conception. In fact, this is a normal phenomenon. You should also pay attention to getting examinations outside the proliferation period as much as possible, and then determine whether you need some medical assistance and drug treatment, etc. Women should also go for regular examinations over a period of time to understand the changes in various indicators of their bodies.