The objectives of this study were to 1) investigate the effects of the pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin 1beta (IL-1beta) on the expression of prostaglandin type E prostanoid (EP) receptors in human cervical fibroblast (HCF) cells, and 2) to determine if EP3 receptor splice variants are expressed among these cells. The origin of the HCF utilized for this project arose from cervical specimens obtained from premenopausal women undergoing hysterectomies. In the presence and absence (control) of progesterone (R5020), cultured fibroblast cells underwent treatment with IL-1beta for 2, 4, 8, and 24 hours. The presence of progestin did not alter the expression of EP receptors. Treatment with IL-1beta induced variable changes in EP receptor expression, demonstrating that this pro-inflammatory cytokine regulates EP receptor expression at the mRNA as well as protein level. Furthermore, variants of the EP3 receptor were noted to be expressed among HCF cells, and a variant not previously known to be present in cervical fibroblast cells was noted. These findings suggest that EP receptors, under the influence of IL-1beta, may play a role in the cervical ripening process.