Specimen: Vaginal cytology collected from the vaginal pool or lateral vaginal wall and stained with the Papanicolaou stain. Superficial cells are a dark eosinophilic color with pyknotic nuclei, while parabasal cells are light greyish blue with relatively large nuclei. Groups of 3 or more cells should not be counted. At least 100 cells should be counted.
Parameters:
(1) total number of cells counted
(2) number of parabasal cells
(3) number of intermediate cells
(4) number of superficial cells
percent of each cell type =
= (number of cell type counted) / (total number of cells counted) * 100
maturation index =
= P : I : S
where:
• P = percent parabasal cells
• I = percent intermediate cells
• S = percent superficial cells
maturation index =
= ((percent parabasal cells) * 0) + ((percent intermediate cells) * 0.5) + ((percent superficial cells) * 1) =
= (percent superficial cells) + (0.5 * (percent intermediate cells))
Interpretation:
• SUM(P + I + S) = 100
• minimum maturation value: 0 (all parabasal cells)
• maximum maturation value: 100 (all superficial cells)
• The typical maturation index for a normal woman at ovulation is 0:35:65. The corresponding maturation value would be 82.5. A normal menstruating woman should have a maturation value > 50.
• The typical maturation index for a postmenopausal woman without estrogen replacement and marked atrophy is 90:10:0. The corresponding maturation value would be 5.
