Thin endometrium lining
Endometrium is the uterine lining on which the embryo implants. The embryo grows on the endometrium and the baby gets all the nourishments form the mother through the endometrial tissue. Thus, having a good endometrium is one of the most important factors for a healthy pregnancy.
The uterus that carries the pregnancy for 9 months can be divided in 2 parts. The upper muscular layer called the myometrium, and the inner soft layer is called the endometrium or the uterine lining. Implantation occurs on this lining. Which means the embryo sticks to this lining in the uterus.
Why is the endometrium so important?
The endometrial tissue should be thicker than 9mm for an embryo to implant in it. Although we have seen some cases in which embryos have implanted on a thinner endometrium as well. The thicker the endometrium lining better is the uterine blood supply towards the endometrium.
Why is the endometrium so important?
If the endometrium lining is less than 7mm , even after giving highest does of oestorgyn then it is categorised as thin endometrium. If you have received 24 mg of estrogyn (commonly known as estrofert , evadiaol or progynova ) for more than 28 days and the endometrium lining is still less than 7mm on ultrasound then this is a pure case of thin endometrium.
Can a patient with thin endometrium conceive (Pregnancy in thin endometrium)?
At Jilla IVF we do a lot of research on thin endometrium or thin lining patients, and we have seen most of our patients conceive. We treat the exact cause of thin endometrium with specific medicines to make it receptive. If the embryo quality is good, then even patients with thin endometrium will also conceive.
What are the reasons for thin endometrium ?
- Previous DNC done: DnC is a procedure that is generally done in cases of abortion. This means if the patient does not want a baby or if the baby is not growing in the uterus then it is removed with the help of DnC. During this procedure the foetus is scrapped out from the endometrium and the basal layer of the endometrium can get damaged. If this happens patient lands up into thin endometrium.
- Less uterine blood supply: endometrium the uterine lining is formed when adequate amount of oestrogen reaches the endometrium. oestrogen reaches the endometrium through the blood and if there is less blood supply to the endometrial lining then it will remain thin even if high dose of oestrogen is given.
- Uterine fibroids: These are muscular growth in the myometrium that affect the blood flow to the uterus. If these fibroids are entering the uterine cavity then they will not allow the embryo to grow in the uterus. There are some fibroids that are intending the cavity and some that are not in the cavity. The ones that are not in the cavity need not be removed.
- Endometritis (Infection of the endometrial cells):Endometritis is a condition in which infection is present on the uterine lining. Due to this infection, there is inflammation in the endometrium. If there is infection on the uterine lining, then even a healthy embryo will fail to implant. Numerus patients with implantation failure have endometritis. This infection is caused by tuberculosis, chlamydia, or sexually transmitted diseases. For success in the IVF cycle endometritis should be cleared before transferring embryos.
