Figure 2

Photomicrographs showing NFILS-IR nerve fibers in TPL cervix (a) and a NFILS-IR nerve fascicle in NP corpus (b). Box plots show the distribution of NFILS-IR nerve fibers in corpus and cervix uteri. NFILS positive fibers were seen in the stroma and in the subepithelial region (a, short arrows). Nerve fibers penetrating the basal epithelium were observed, but only rarely (a, long arrow). A NFILS-IR nerve fascicle is seen in control, non-pregnant corpus (b). Scale bars = 50 μm. The box plot in (c) shows the distribution of NFILS-IR nerve fibers in the three groups of the corpus counted as nerve fibers/mm². There is a significant decrease of IR-nerve fibres/mm² in the term pregnant group compared to non-pregnant controls, p < 0.0001. A statistically significant decrease of IR-nerve fibers/mm² is also observed in labor compared to the non-pregnant group, p < 0.01. There is no significant difference between TP and TPL. Comparison of NFILS-IR nerve fibers between the "corpus groups" presented as total count of positive nerves also shows significantly different values (d). There is a statistically significant decrease in the occurrence of IR nerve fibers in the term pregnant compared to the non-pregnant corpus, p < 0.001, and between the non-pregnant group compared to the term pregnant in labor, p < 0.05. However, there is no significant difference between the two pregnant groups. The box plot in (e) shows and compares the distribution of NFILS-IR nerve fibers in the cervical groups. Values did not reach statistical significance.