What is the cause of endometrial thickness?

Women's physical examinations will include gynecological examinations, usually through color ultrasound to understand the internal conditions of the uterus to see if there are any problems. The thickness of the endometrium will be noted in the physical examination report. After reading it, the doctor will also ask what stage you are in to understand whether the endometrium is normal. Some female friends are told by the doctor that their endometrium is a little thick every time they have a check-up. Many women do not understand what is going on with a thick endometrium.

1. What causes endometrial thickening and hypertrophy?

Endometrial hypertrophy refers to a disease in which the endometrium grows excessively due to inflammation, endocrine disorders, or stimulation of certain drugs.

2. Causes of Endometrial Thickening

1. Distribution of hormone receptors

Complex endometrial thickening is related to the distribution of hormone receptors. This type of endometrial thickening may be polyp-like, and complex endometrial thickening may be mixed with other types of thickening such as uterine atrophy.

2. Ovarian dysfunction

If the ovarian hormones are disordered, it can easily lead to abnormal endometrial thickening, which is called endometrial hyperplasia. The clinical manifestations are irregular and excessive abnormal uterine bleeding. Patients may experience continuous bleeding after a long period of amenorrhea. Some patients also experience shortened cycles and prolonged menstruation, and the bleeding time can be up to 1 month.

3. Abnormal estrogen secretion

The hormone glands in women's bodies secrete hormones unbalancedly, resulting in anovulation. The endometrium is affected by estrogen for a long time, and there is no transformation from a cyclical secretory phase. The endometrium is in a thickened state for a long time. This is a common cause of thickening of the uterine lining in women.

4. Endocrine functional tumors

Functional endocrine tumors lead to abnormal gonadotropin function of the pituitary gland and the occurrence of ovarian granulosa cell tumors, which can also cause thickening of the endometrium in women.

5. Obesity

The adrenal glands of obese women secrete androstenedione, which is converted into estrone after the action of aromatase in the adipose tissue. The estrone level in the plasma rises, which makes it easy for persistent estrogen effects to occur, causing thickening of the female endometrium.

3. The harm of endometrial thickening

1. Causes infertility: Infertility caused by endometriosis has accounted for about 50% of female infertility and is an important cause of female infertility. This is mainly because endometriosis can cause pelvic adhesions, fallopian tube obstruction, etc., affecting hormone function and immune function, thereby causing infertility.

2. Ectopic pregnancy: Endometriosis can easily cause pelvic adhesions, which can hinder the functioning of the fallopian tubes, resulting in the inability of the fertilized egg to be successfully delivered into the uterine cavity, leading to local implantation and ectopic pregnancy.

3. Menstrual irregularities: Endometriosis can cause certain damage to the ovarian tissue, which can seriously affect hormone metabolism, resulting in symptoms such as menstrual disorders and increased menstrual flow. Many patients also have symptoms of dysmenorrhea.

4. Ovarian tumors: The main site of endometriosis is the ovary. Therefore, every time a woman has her period, the menstrual blood will accumulate in the ovaries, leading to the formation of tumors. Not only that, if it is not treated in time, the blood in the tumor will accumulate more and more, and it will also deteriorate, the red blood cells will be destroyed, and chocolate cysts will occur.