Implantation Test for Endometrial Receptivity

The Tommy's National Centre for Miscarriage Research in Birmingham is a Research Centre which brings together an interdisciplinary translational medicine research grouping jointly at the Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust (BWCNFT) and the University of Birmingham (UoB). The overarching Tommy's Centre funding includes sites at the University of Warwick and Imperial College London. The Centre is dedicated to research across all aspects of miscarriage and early pregnancy complications including basic scientific, medical, social and ethical issues.

This research project will occur alongside an advanced miscarriage clinic at Birmingham Women's Hospital. The Study Office belongs to the University of Birmingham and is located within the Birmingham Women's Hospital (Academic Department, 3rd floor). Computers are linked to the University's Network and all the electronic data will be held within this network.

The research project is divided into a number of three work packages and the findings from these will build on each other. Therefore, we have incorporated each of these distinct work packages within this research project protocol, with methodological details and objectives of each.

Work package 1: Target Product Profile (TPP) The TPP will convey information regarding the proposed use, context of use, patients' and clinicians' needs for an endometrial test in relation to endometrial receptivity, recurrent miscarriage and recurrent implantation failure.

Women who suffer recurrent miscarriage are referred for routine care to the Recurrent Miscarriage Clinic within Birmingham Women's Hospital by their GP or by other NHS Early Pregnancy Units. Women attending the Recurrent Miscarriage Clinic will be invited to fill in a questionnaire during their waiting time prior to the consultation by one of the research nurses who work within the Recurrent Miscarriage Clinic. The purpose of the questionnaire is to gain insight into women's view and expectations in relation to a new endometrial receptivity test.

Work package 2: Chromohysteroscopy Hysteroscopy is the procedure in which the uterine cavity is viewed using a hysteroscope (lighted scope) inserted through the cervix. It is used routinely in the NHS for women with varying indications (ie: polyps or fibroids suspected on ultrasound, thin endometrium, adhesions etc). In addition to morphologic abnormalities (ie: septum, polyps, adhesions), hysteroscopy may identify direct visual appearances relevant to endometrial receptivity.

Chromohysteroscopy involves flushing the endometrial surface with a dye (ie: methylene blue) in order to increase the sensitivity of hysteroscopy for the diagnosis of subtle endometrial pathologies which have not produced macroscopic changes.

All previous chromohysteroscopic studies used methylene blue as a dye to enhance the visibility of endometrial abnormalities based on the ability of necrotic endometrial cells to absorb/retain the dye. The investigators plan to further develop this approach by using iodine in relation to the known endometrial properties.

It is well known that iodine interacts with glycogen to generate a brown-blue colour. The glycogen-iodine reaction normally enables the identification of high vaginal and cervical lesions during colposcopic examinations that women undergo routinely in the NHS when there is a suspicion on their smear tests.

The investigators hypothesise that aberrations in the secretory phase of the endometrial development may be identified using iodine chromohysteroscopy based on the interaction between iodine and glycogen which generates a brown-blue colour.

Work package 3: OMICS studies on endometrial samples Omics- refer to the application of high-throughput techniques which simultaneously examine changes in different molecular compartments: genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics etc. The understanding of human endometrial physiology and pathophysiology is being revolutionised by the use of omics-; however, current understanding of different complex phenotypes related to fertility remains incomplete, inconsistent and without strong clinical application.

A Pipelle biopsy of the endometrium involves passing a narrow plastic tube through the cervix to obtain a sample by aspiration. It is routinely used in the NHS to rule out endometrial hyperplasia/carcinoma in women suffering from heavy menstrual bleeding or postmenopausal bleeding.

The investigators hypothesise that women who suffered recurrent reproductive failure may have altered transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics profiles in their endometrium. Identifying these changes may provide diagnostic and prognostic markers for future pregnancies.