الفهرس 
Introduction and aim of the workOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
The uterine cervix has an important role in the normal transport and capacitation of spermatozoa, as well as acting as a protective barrier, together with the cervical mucus, against the penetration of microorganisms and toxic substances into the uterine cavity. The cervix also serves to prevent the expulsion of the preterm pregnancy. At term, however, the cervix softens and dilates through a process known as cervical ripening. The aim of this work is to study the histological changes that occur in the rat uterine cervix during pregnancy and after delivery to explain its role in achieving successful pregnancy and labour. This study was based on biopsies taken from the uterine cervix of 40 adult female albino rats. The animals aged approximately 12 weeks old and weight 225 to 250 gm. The work includes light and electron microscopic studies. The light microscopic study includes histological and immunohistochemical techniques. The greater proportion of the cervical wall was composed of dense fibrous connective tissue consisting of compactly and regularly arranged collagen fibers. The above description of the non-pregnant cervix applied equally to the connective tissue observed in the early stages; day 5 and day 9 of pregnancy. On day 18 & 22 of pregnancy, evidence of tissue breakdown was apparent. It could be concluded that during pregnancy, extensive tissue remodeling involves both the extracellular matrix and cells of the cervical tissue. Mast cell degranulation is a necessary process which contributes to the normal angiogenesis of the rat cervix during pregnancy. One of the sources of collagenases the enzymes necessary for collagenolysis could be the infiltrating eosinophils seen in rat cervix.