Endometrium lining decreased during FET prep- advice needed please

[Rufus50]

Hi everyone,

I would be very grateful if anyone could share some advice or words of reassurance on our current FET issue,

Without going into detail (as there is so so much) my wife and I have been on a very long (7 years) and brutally hard fertility journey which has consisted of 6 transfers- 3 of which failed to implant, 2 chemical pregnancies and 1 heart breaking missed miscarriage- these were all at home before a large grade 3 varicocele was found and operated on.

Since then, over the course of 2023, we went abroad and over 4 duo stim cycles we managed to get 5 euploid embryos which we have frozen. We were and are thrilled with the number we have even though it is just so nerve wracking not knowing what the future holds. We would never have imagined getting 5 so all our efforts last year were worth it.

For our first euploid embryo transfer my wife, due to possible mild adenomyosis, was put on a longer protocol to suppress her system by taking the pill and then an injection on Nov 7th which mimicked the menopause to totally calm everything down. 8 weeks later on 2nd Jan of this year she started taking estrogen to build her lining her. From our research and from working with a fertility specialist we wanted her lining to reach 8mm before starting progesterone for our first euploid embryo transfer. We want to let no stone unturned and from the research a minimum lining should be 7mm but ideally greater than 8mm. My wife had a scan (day 11) on Friday just gone and it measured approx 7.15mm with 3 lines visible but not yet fully tripled lined. She had another scan yesterday (day 14) and we were hoping things would have progressed and we would have a lining of 8mm but to our shock and utter disappointment her lining had decreased. Many measurements were taken with some around the high 5 mms and some at low 6mm so on average around 6mm. We were absolutely and still are absolutely floored as this had never happened before. Our clinic emailed back to say increase the estrogen dose from 6mg per day to 8mg per day and get another scan this Thursday.

We were wondering would the FET be cancelled or what would be done so we are relieved they are trying to bring it back up. We have great faith in them and they seem so far advanced in comparison to clinics here in Ireland.

I am just wondering if anyone has ever seen/heard of someone’s lining decreasing during prep time for FET and then getting back on track to a level that is needed before embryo transfer. We just want to ensure we do absolutely everything we can. We have no idea why this may have happened so am researching here for the evening seeing what I can find. I have found research showing that women who had to up their dosage of estrogen and take more days on it before progesterone was added had the same success outcomes as women who did not have to increase their dosage. This is obviously reassuring to us but I am trying to find did someone have success when their lining decreased but then managed to increase it again from an increase of estrogen.

I would be very grateful for any information or advice that anyone may have. We have been on such a long and hard journey and feel so close to our end goal now with our 5 euploid embryos so I am hoping and wishing that this will be a hurdle we will clear soon.

Thanks and best wishes to you all

[JA-fnuk Partner Nurse Fertility Network UK]

Hoping the increase in meds has the desired effect and everything works out well for you and your wife

Thinking of you

Janet- Partner

[CreateIVF]

I’ve not got personal experience of it decreasing but my own lining grew very very slowly on this current FET and today (day 18) I was given the go ahead with a lining of 6.7mm. The 3 things they check is thickness, triple layer and blood flow.. so based on the fact I have two “ticks” they were happy to go ahead. Will keep everything crossed that Thursday will bring good news for you guys.

[Gold00]

Hi Rufus50, my experience was not 100% the same, but I thought I'd share it to give you hope.

In my last FET, prior to progesterone administration, the sonographer said my lining was 8mm and that I also I had a polyp. As I was planning on transferring my only euploid embryo, I was seriously contemplating cancelling FET altogether. My fertility specialist, who is a Professor, said that he would like to do a scan himself a few days later and we'll go from there. At that ultrasound not only the polyp was confirmed, but he told me that my lining was only 7mm (7.5mm would be a stretch). I was shocked to hear that, as in my previous 6 transfers my lining was always perfect.

I then expressed my wish to my fertility doctor that I would like to cancel the transfer, to which the fertility specialist said that at my age (I am 44) this would probably be as good as it would get. I proceeded with the transfer (embryo was placed in a different location to the polyp) and then asked to measure my lining. To my surprise, my lining was 13mm!

I am currently 13w6d 🙂. Wishing you best of luck on your IVF journey!

[AshleyJB]

Hello. I always had a problem with this on my transfers. We did a natural transfer this time but with progesterone after ovulation on my last transfer and the day before transfer my lining had gone down to 6mm I was gutted thinking they'd cancel transfer but they just put me on 3 estrogen a day and the transfer, our 4th was a success! Our clinic said that an embryo can implant in a fallopian tube where there is no lining and I shouldn't be overly concerned. I've stayed on the estrogen until 12 weeks.

So my experience and protocol isn't exactly the same. The Dr told me once you start on progesterone for transfer it compacts the lining down and that that is totally normal.

Wishing you both so much luck xxx

[Babybaby321]

hi Raspberry Leaf tea or tablets (tablets from Holland and Barrett) and pineapple cores are supposed to be good for linings - also mild exercise to stimulate blood flow. I stopped raspberry tablets on the day of transfer. I also had lubion injections prescribed