Cytomorphometric analysis of vaginal cells during normal cycle, under oral contraceptive therapy or in-vitro fertilization stimulation protocol.

The cytomorphometric characteristics of superficial vaginal cells were analyzed in three groups (15 women each) subjected to different types of hormonal concentrations: women in a normal regulatory cycle combined oral contraceptive (OC) users and women undergoing in-vitro fertilization (IVF) stimulation with a luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone. A minimum of 30 well-spread superficial vaginal cells were selected from each subject for measurement on an image analyzer. The area perimeter and several form factors were measured separately for nuclei and cytoplasm. A significant reduction of cytoplasmic area was recorded in OC users and was associated with a significant reduction of the nuclear area but cell shape was not modified. Cells remained polygonal with a nucleus that did not differ in size from that in women with a normal regulatory cycle. In women undergoing IVF high estradiol concentrations induced marked nuclear pycnosis. However vaginal cells did not respond to hormonal supra-impregnation by a continuous increase in size. Rather the response entailed increases in the cytoplasmic area up to the maximal genetically programmed size and in nuclear shrinkage. The nucleus to cytoplasmic ratio was significantly increased in OC users and significantly reduced in IVF clients reflecting the opposite effects of hormones on cell compartments.