What Is A Thin Endometrial Lining?
The uterus has three layers: an inner, middle and outer layer. The inmost layer is known as the endometrium. A healthy endometrial lining is thick enough to enable a fertilized egg to implant successfully. It also nourishes the fetus, enabling it to grow. If the endometrial lining is thin, implantation will not take place. There are five main reasons for a thin endometrial lining.
1. Low estrogen level
If you don’t have enough estrogen, this can cause thinning of your endometrial lining. Your doctor can check your estrogen level with a blood test. If it is low, you can top up your estrogen with estrogen tablets, patches, or injections.
2. Damaged endometrial lining
If your estrogen level is normal, a thin endometrial lining may be the result of a previous uterine infection which has damaged the lining of the uterus and caused scar tissue to form. If this is the case, you may need surgery to remove the scar tissue.
3. Decreased blood flow
Though not common, sometimes the endometrial lining fails to thicken due to insufficient blood flow. Your doctor can check for this by using ultrasound to measure blood flow to your uterus. In one study, this condition was treated with high doses of L-arginine and vitamin E, but unfortunately, these treatments only worked for 52% of the women with a thin endometrial lining.
4. Uterine fibroids
Uterine fibroids are benign growths that develop in the uterus. They can be so small that they are undetectable by the human eye, or large enough to cause bulges in the uterus. If you have fibroids that are affecting your chances of pregnancy, your doctor will recommend surgery to have them removed.
5. Chronic endometritis (infection of the endometrial cells)
Endometritis causes inflammation of the uterine lining, which prevents the embryo from implanting. Though this is not a life-threatening infection, it’s important to get it treated as soon as possible. Your doctor will prescribe a course of antibiotics. If the infection is severe, you may need intravenous fluids and bed rest in a hospital.
If you are getting ready for in vitro fertilization, your doctor will check the health of your endometrial lining, to make sure that you have the best chance of becoming pregnant. Contact our team of medical experts if you would like to find out more about complications with the uterine lining.
