Three-dimensional ultrasound (3D US) is a new imaging modality, which is being introduced into clinical practice. Although this technique will not probably replace two-dimensional ultrasound, it is being increasingly used. It has been reported that 3D US is a very high reproducible technique. The endometrium has been paid special attention when using this technique. The aim of this paper is to ...

In flowering plants, the onset and duration of female receptivity vary among species. In several species the receptive structures wilt upon pollination. Here we explore the hypothesis that postpollination wilting may be influenced by pollen and serve as a general means to secure paternity of the pollen donor at the expense of female fitness. Taking a game-theoretical approach, we examine the po...

The cell biological basis of endometrial receptivity and trophoblast invasiveness, the two preconditions for implantation ("implantation windowtl), still remains enigmatic. Recently, however, the application of modern concepts of cell biology and developmental biology concentrating on celladhesion and cell polarity seems to open promising new views of these phenomena. At implantation initiation...

The ethics of caring, though the subject of much recent discussion by philosophers, has hardly been applied to medical ethics and medical education. Based on receptivity (that is, empathy and compassion) toward and taking responsibility for other persons, the ethics of caring has particular relevance to medicine. Caring guides the physician always to remain the patient's advocate and to maintai...

For all the steps of in vitro fertilization to occur successfully, factors such as the quality of retrieved oocytes and endometrial receptivity to the embryo must be ensured. Current studies have shown that endometrial receptivity can be optimized using dedicated exogenous progesterone for luteal phase support in assisted reproduction cycles. But it has not yet been established the benefits of ...