Struggling with fertility? Understanding how to increase endometrial thickness can be a key step in your IVF journey. For embryo implantation and a successful pregnancy, a healthy endometrial lining is crucial. Factors like drugs to increase endometrial thickness, lifestyle changes that improve endometrial thickness naturally, and foods to increase endometrial thickness along with innovative treatments can improve endometrial thickness. So let’s understand the role of endometrial thickness and the factors affecting it in detail.
What is the Endometrium and Its Role in Pregnancy?
The inner lining of your uterus, or womb is called Endometrium. In simple words, you need to consider this as the “home” where your baby would develop if you become pregnant.
The endometrium has two main layers:
- First one is the Basal Layer of this lining which stays in place and doesn’t shed during periods and in-turn helps in the development of the superficial layer that sheds.
- Second one is the Functional Layer that changes throughout your menstrual cycle. It builds up and thickens each month in preparation for a possible pregnancy. When you’re trying to conceive, this functional layer is where a fertilized egg, or embryo, will attach and grow if pregnancy occurs. Also, each month, the endometrium goes through changes to get ready for this possibility. Since this is a dynamic layer that regulates the menstrual cycle and period; thus the problems or irregularities in this layer or your menstrual cycle can cause difficulties when trying to conceive.
For IVF, we focus on making sure your endometrium is in the best condition to support embryo implantation. Because this is a major determining factor for the successful outcome during IVF which leads to a pregnancy.
What is the Uterus Lining and Endometrial Thickness?
To understand how to increase endometrial thickness for in-vitro fertilization (IVF), first you will have to understand that this layer keeps changing through your cycle of life as per the situations below: The thickness of the endometrium varies throughout your life. During your period, it’s usually 2-4 mm. In the early cycle, it thickens to 5-7 mm, and around ovulation, it can reach 11-16 mm. For a healthy pregnancy, the thickness should be optimal for embryo implantation. After menopause, it’s typically 5 mm or less. We use ultrasound to measure this thickness. If it’s lesser than required for IVF, then steps need to be taken to increase endometrial lining.
Also Read: What is Endometriosis? Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis &Treatments
What is a Good Endometrial Thickness for IVF?
As already shared above, an endometrial thickness of 7-14 mm in the mid-luteal phase is ideal for IVF. This thickness helps create a suitable environment for embryo implantation and enhances the likelihood of pregnancy.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes that endometrial thickness is a critical factor in assessing female fertility and improving IVF outcomes. Their guidelines highlight that endometrial receptivity is a key factor in successful implantation. (Source: WHO Guidelines for IVF, 2021)
Also Read: Endometriosis Pain Management
Factors that Cause Thin Endometrial Lining:
A thin endometrial lining, less than 7 mm, can be caused by aging, chronic inflammation, hormonal imbalances, or medical treatments like chemotherapy. Conditions such as Asherman’s syndrome and autoimmune disorders can also contribute to decreased endometrial thickness.
How to Increase Endometrial Thickness for IVF?
We are sharing some ways to improve endometrial thickness naturally as well as some medical solutions on how to increase endometrial lining:
1. Eating Nutritious Food:
Eating foods rich in healthy fats, vitamins, and antioxidants can increase endometrial thickness for IVF. Your diet can have olive oil instead of any other fatty oil; healthy fat-rich avocados, vitamins and minerals-rich nuts & seeds and above all green, leafy greens along with fruits in your daily diet. All these foods to increase endometrial thickness ensure a healthier uterine lining.
2. Lifestyle Changes:
If you are already having a good diet then the next step is giving up alcohol and smoking, that we advise each patient. To improve endometrial thickness naturally, simply kill the high-stress lifestyle with mindfulness techniques like deep breathing and gentle exercise. Integrate a daily routine of moderate exercise or Yoga under a trained expert. And above all, implement regular pelvic floor exercises to improve blood flow and uterine health.
3. Medical Treatments:
As per the global success rates and medical studies, we suggest the following three medical treatments:
- Intrauterine G-CSF: Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) has been used for over 20 years to boost granulocyte production in chemotherapy patients. It is also used to stimulate and increase endometrial lining/growth for fertility. A study found that G-CSF increased endometrial thickness from 3–6.5 mm to at least 7 mm within two days.
- Platelet-Rich Plasma Treatment:
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) treatments are popular for cosmetic surgery, wound healing, and orthopedics. PRP is made by isolating growth factors from a patient’s blood and re-injecting it. Various studies have shown that PRP can help endometrial growth and increased thickness. Hence, PRP improved reproductive outcomes overall.
- Vaginal Sildenafil: Sildenafil, known as Viagra, can be used as a gel or suppository for the vaginal area. These under-supervision drugs, to increase endometrial thickness, and improve blood flow, which helps with endometrial growth. This led to higher implantation and pregnancy rates.
Summing Up:
As medical experts, we understand that your IVF journey is both hopeful and challenging. Thus, we hope that we have been able to resolve all your queries about how to increase endometrial thickness for IVF? If you still have any queries regarding anything from medical queries to any specific foods to increase endometrial thickness, don’t hesitate to reach out to an IVF center in Indore, or feel free to contact our IVF specialist RIGHT NOW!
