A thick endometrium lining is crucial for a successful pregnancy. However, a thin endometrium lining can effectively reduce your chances of conceiving.
So, if you are unable to become pregnant and feel like it can be due to thin endometrium – continue reading. Everything you need to know about thin endometrium – from thin endometrium’s meaning, symptoms, causes, and treatment – is explored in this blog.
What is thin endometrium?
Your uterus is covered with three layers:
- the outermost layer, known as the serosa or perimetrium
- the intermediate layer, known as the myometrium
- the innermost layer, known as the endometrium
The thin endometrium is that tissue which lines your uterus’s inner layer. The inner layer is essential for reproduction as the embryo implants itself in this layer.
During a menstrual cycle, your endometrial lining is constantly changing. So, for a pregnancy to be successful, the embryo must be implanted in your endometrial lining carefully and in the best possible condition.
Once the embryo implantation has taken place, pregnancy advances and the thick uterine lining’s functional glands provide the foetus with the nutrition it needs to grow.
However, when your endometrium lining is less than 7 mm thick, it indicates a thin endometrium. It can cause problems with successful embryo implantation and further nourishment of the foetus.
In other words, it can make carrying out a pregnancy difficult for you.
Symptoms of thin endometrium
With thin endometrium, usually, you will not experience any symptoms, i.e., you may remain asymptomatic for a long time.
However, in case you experience symptoms, they can manifest in the following ways:
- Extremely painful menses
- Problems related to infertility
- Reduced bleeding when on periods
- Irregular or delayed menstrual cycle
Causes of thin endometrium
There are numerous causes which can result in a thin endometrium, such as:
– Reduced estrogen levels
Estrogen hormone is essential for the endometrium to thicken. So, when you have low estrogen levels, it will result in a thin endometrium lining. In this situation, medication is prescribed.
In case there is no improvement after taking medicines, this could mean that your uterine wall’s tissues have suffered damage or that there is insufficient blood flow.
– Insufficient blood flow
There are numerous causes of insufficient uterine blood flow.
Leading a sedentary lifestyle can decrease blood flow, which causes your uterine lining to shrink. If your uterus is slightly tilted, it will receive less blood flow. Moreover, having fibroids and polyps narrow blood arteries, which decreases blood supply to your endometrial lining and causes thin endometrium.
– Bacterial infections
Bacterial infections such as sexually transmitted diseases, endometrial tuberculosis, pelvic inflammatory disease, etc., can lead to inflammation and scarring of your endometrial lining.
– Oral contraceptive pills
Excessive intake of oral contraceptive pills for quite some time can cause alterations in your estrogen level and uterine lining. These alterations can cause you to have a thin endometrium lining.
– Clomid
This medication is used to trigger ovulation. Overuse of Clomid can stop the flow of estrogen and prevent your endometrial lining from thickening.
– Dilation and Curettage (D & C)
D & C is a surgical method used to remove tissue from your uterus because of some uterine problems.
The functional base layer of the endometrium, known as the basalis, gets destroyed during D & C. This impedes the new endometrial lining from developing, causing your endometrium to remain thin.
Also, D & C can result in intrauterine adhesions (collection of fibrous tissues) in your uterine lining and prevent it from thickening.
Treatment of thin endometrium
To be able to conceive successfully, your endometrium lining needs to be thick. So, here are some treatment methods to thicken your thin endometrium.
– Exercising regularly
Regularly exercising will increase the blood flow to your uterus and improve the condition of your endometrium lining.
– Fertility massage
Massaging the muscles near your uterus can help enhance blood circulation to your uterus and improve your endometrial lining.
– Castor oil packs
It is a type of treatment that plays a crucial role in detoxifying and guaranteeing a smooth blood supply to your uterus while providing an ideal amount of estrogen. It also causes your thin endometrium lining to thicken.
– Natural herbs and supplements
Asparagus Racemosus, Red Clover, Dong Quai, Royal Jelly, etc., are some natural herbs and supplements containing phytoestrogen. Using them will help uplift your estrogen level and result in the thickening of your thin endometrium lining.
– Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a technique used to reduce stress and the buildup of negative energy from the body. Reducing stress levels is essential since chronic stress can cause your endometrium lining to shrink.
– Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor (G-CSF)
A study reports that intrauterine infusion of growth factors like G-CSF helps to increase the thickness of the lining of your thin endometrium.
– Estrogen therapy
A drop in estrogen levels can cause a thin endometrium lining. So, estrogen therapy becomes essential to thicken your endometrium lining.
Estrogen can be administered orally or as a suppository gel in this therapy. It stimulates cell division in your uterine lining, making it thicker and facilitating easy implantation of the fertilised egg.
– Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG)
A study reveals that HCG triggers the pituitary gland to secrete gonadotropin hormone. This hormone causes your reproductive organs to secrete estrogen hormone. And estrogen hormone, in turn, leads to the thickening of your thin endometrium.
– Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET)
For thin endometrium treatment, the ideal course of action in an IVF cycle is to freeze all your embryos and transfer them after your endometrium lining has thickened.
– Hysteroscopy
When intrauterine adhesions are the causal factor for thin endometrium – hysteroscopy is the appropriate treatment. During hysteroscopy, the adhesions or scar tissues are removed. And this causes your thin endometrium lining to thicken with time.
Conclusion
Thin endometrium can make it challenging for you to conceive by causing issues in embryo implantation in your endometrial lining. So, in this scenario, to be able to become pregnant, it is crucial to consult a doctor for thin endometrium treatment.
You can contact the leading fertility specialists at Birla Fertility and IVF. Birla Fertility and IVF is dedicated towards delivering compassionate care and top-notch healthcare services. Equipped with up-to-date testing tools and technologies, it aims to match the global standards in patient care. Moreover, the clinic also has a spiffing success rate.
For effective treatment of thin endometrium – visit a Birla Fertility and IVF branch or book an appointment with Dr. Muskaan Chhabra.
FAQs:
1. What does a thin endometrium mean?
A thin endometrium refers to the tissue that lines the inner layer of the uterus. In thin endometrium, the endometrium lining is less than 7 mm thick. It is also damaged due to low estrogen levels, insufficient blood supply, bacterial infections, etc.
2. How do you treat thin endometrium?
There are several methods of treatment available depending upon your thin endometrium cause. You can opt for estrogen therapy, infusion of G-CSF, hysteroscopy, exercise regularly, practice acupuncture, use natural herbs, etc. All these methods help significantly in treating thin endometrium.
3. How can I improve my thin endometrium?
To improve your thin endometrium, you can do the following:
- Go for estrogen therapy
- Take natural supplements like red clover
- Exercise daily for at least half an hour
- Practice acupuncture or do fertility massages
- Use castor oil packs
- Go for intrauterine infusion of G-CSF or frozen embryo transfer
