# IVF - Uterine Lining - How thick should it be?



## Popacatapetl

Hiya ... Can anyone give me any advice/info?

At my last scan on Wednesday my uterine lining was just over 14mm. I've been reading around on the internet and found out that between 8mm - 12mm is the best thickness to have when they implant the embryos. I'm feeling really negative now because my EC is on Saturday, and the ET will be next Tues (assuming I get any eggs in the first place). By Tues presumably my lining will be even thicker, and I've read that 15mm and above can reduce the chances of a successful implantation  

My clinic haven't commented on how thick it should be so I never knew it was an issue until now. Has anyone been advised by their clinics about this? Has anyone elses lining been over 14mm by the time of ET and has it been a problem? I'm worried incase they cancel the transfer ...

It was only two weeks ago I was worried it was too thin because my period lasted for ages!!! aaaaaarrrrrrrgggggghhhh 

Any advice would be much appreciated...

Thanx

Mo


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## specialk1215

Hi Mo,
Funny that you ask this as I asked the EXACT same question a couple days ago... if you look down a few, you'll see my post. My lining was 14.3mm on Monday and I had the EC yesterday. I asked the RE if this was a problem and she assured me that it isn't. Also, your lining will not keep growing to transfer as you will supposedly stop your stims two days before the EC, right? Once you stop the estrogen support, your lining won't keep growing. Presumably, you will also start progesterone supplements before the transfer which also protect the lining without making it grow. I am sure you will be just fine. I was super-worried too, but feel much better about it now.

Good luck with your EC! Hope you get lots of juicy eggs.

KE


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## alidan

Hi there, I had egg collection yesterday and she said my lining was 17mm thick.  She said it "may" be an issue that they query if you have several failed attempts but this may just be normal for me.

I was worried but there is absolutely nothing I can do.  We are hopefully having blasts put back on Tues so fingers crossed.

Sending you babydust.

Allie.


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## Ruth

I am only aware of one time when someone was told their lining was too thick, and that was because it was thick from the beginning. The issue is mainly when the lining is too thin. All sounds well and I wish you luck for your test.

Ruth


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## roze

I went for a scan last week around the usual time of the cycle- day 15- I have  regular IUI- and was told that I may have missed the boat this month- generally I have my injection around this time to stimulate egg ovulation. However it was felt that if ovulation had already occurred, my lining should have been much thicker than it was. So it was all a bit strange, and they couldn't really tell what was going on as I had not had scans earlier in the cycle. I am on day 23 and feeling a bit weird but not premenstrual. I am 43 and not on any other drug treatment. Any idea as to the reasons why my lining would be thinner? It is usually quite good.


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## Popacatapetl

Hiya Ladies,

Thanx for your replies ... it was quite a relief to know that your clinic doctors don't think that thick linings are something to be concerned about. The staff at my clinic didn't think it was an issue and at my EC this morning the Doc said he'd be more concerned if the lining was too thin rather than too thick. I still have some nagging doubts in my mind, but that's just me being paranoid as usual I guess   and as you say Allie there is nothing that can be done about it now so I may as well just put it to the back of my mind and move on.

If this attempt fails tho' I'll be making sure that next time they don't let it get too thick before ET ... as I'm sure if they would have stopped my stims sooner it would have been thinner. But, I'm guessing that they kept me stimming for a bit longer than usual because I was slow to respond. Anyway I got 8 eggs collected this morning so I'm glad they let me go on for longer. So, now, eggs and sperm are spending a romantic weekend together getting acquainted in first class accommodation, and I'll know next week whether they've hit it off or not  

KE - How did your EC go and have you had your ET yet? Hope things went according to plan. I'm starting my progesterone pessaries (Cyclogest) on Sunday ... I think they can be taken vaginally or rectally, but I'm wondering whether you can alternate between the two. What do you think? Apologies for the embarrassing nature of this question, but I couldn't bring myself to ask the Doc today as he was a youngish bloke!!!  

Allie - Lots of Luck for Tues, I'm having my ET then too. Don't know much about blastocyst transfer other than the embryos are 5 days old. Is there certain criteria you have to meet to have this type of transfer? For instance, can you have it with ICSI? They are going to attempt to fertilise all of our eggs with ICSI as they reckon we stand a better chance that way.

Roze - Sorry I can't really answer your question ... don't know what factors are involved in making linings thinner or thicker. When you say "missed the boat" do you mean they suggested that you may have already ovulated before they scanned you? Maybe they can tell whether you've ovulated with a blood test. Also it's a possibility that you may not ovulate at all sometimes ... I had some blood tests which showed I didn't ovulate one month, but further tests a few months later showed I was ovulating. The Doc said this was nothing to be concerned about as most women don't ovulate every month. Maybe you could post your question as a separate topic in the "Ask a Nurse" section and I'm sure they'll be able to help you. Good Luck with your future treatment.


Best of Luck to you all and thanx again for the replies.

Mo


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## alidan

Hi Mo,

I had isci too, and we got 8 eggs out of which 6 "showed signs of fertilisation" on Friday so we opted for blastocysts which they only usually recommend if you have 6 or more fertlised embryos as a fair proportion of the embryos will die off before day 5.  The advantage is that the ones which survive (blastocysts) have a thinner shell and higher implantation rate and possibly less likelihood of chromosomal problems.  It is a gamble but Bourn Hall are experts in this field and they reckon that any that die off before day 5 prpbably wouldn't have made it anyway.

Am hoping and praying that there are some blast to put back on Tuesday, and that this lining thing is not a problem.  I was a slow responder to the Gonal F even at the highest dose of 450, and was on stims even up to the day of the Ovitrelle injection.  Still, better a nice thick duvet than none at all!!

Good luck for Tuesday, will be thinking of you.  

Allie.


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## Popacatapetl

Hiya Allie,

Well it's nearly 5am and I've got my EC later on this morning, so God knows what I'm still doing up at this time ... not gonna get much sleep as I have to be up just after 8!!   Just incase you get a chance to read this before your EC I'm wishing you and your other half the very best of luck for today, and here's hoping that all of your blasts have survived and you get the chance to freeze some too. 

I was gonna ask the doc about the possibility of opting for blasts next time, if this cycle fails and we need to have another attempt. I was quite keen to have it this cycle (because I'm 39 and so at a higher risk of chromosomal problems) but my partner isn't so convinced and wants to read more literature about it first. He has a science background and is reading up on the current studies into the differences between 3 and 5 day ET, so if he comes up with anything interesting I'll let you know.

I was on 350 IU of Puregon to start with but after 5 injections they increased it to 400 coz I only had one follicle in my right ovary and 6 in my left and had no lining at that point either. My lining seemed to improve pretty quickly after that but the right ovary only ever produced that one dominant follicle which I was told was suppressing any others from growing on the right side. I'm kinda proud of my left ovary for making up the numbers    Have to do some internet research into follicles to see what can be done about these dominant ones. I took my last Puregon injection half an hour before I took the Ovitrelle but I got the impression that this was quite normal to have both injections on the same day coz I just followed the instructions from a pre printed sheet which I presume they give to everyone.

Anyway I really must get to bed ... I'm planning to have a snooze tomorrow afternoon when I get back from the hospital. Once again wishing you both lots of luck for today, let me know how things went and I guess we'll be on our 2ww together!!  

Bfn
Mo x


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