What is Endometrium and how does it affect Pregnancy?

"Endometrium is the innermost lining of the uterine cavity. So it has two components. One is the basal layer. The other is the functional layer. So the basal layer has a tendency to regenerate the functional layer. So what happens in one particular menstrual cycle of a female. So the functional layer under the hormonal influence gradually thickens so that it helps in the implantation. But if the pregnancy does not happen, this functional layer sheds off where the hormones decline in the menses. So for pregnancy to happen, ideal endometrium thickness. We think it is almost 7 to 8 mm. So when we prepare patients for the am transfer in any IVF cycle, there are many protocols involved and we select the patients and whatever protocol is best, we prepare the endometrium lining accordingly. So these protocols could be hormone replacement therapy. Here we start the patient on estrogen therapy from Day 2 or Day 3 of the period. We give estrogen in gradually increasing doses till the lining reaches 7 or 8 mm. Once the lining reaches 7 to 8 mm, we give estrogen for at least 10 days. So once the lining reaches 7 to 8 mm, then we start progesterone. Day three or day five before am transfer depending on whether we are transferring day three embryo transfer or blastocyst transfer. We are doing another protocol is the regulated HART cycle. Here before periods we regulate the pituitary gland with the help of some injections or some medication and from day two we start the estrogen therapy and once the lining reaches optimum size like 7 to 8 mm then we give the progesterone 3 or 5 days prior to the embryo transfer. Another could be the modified natural cycle or even sometimes we can do natural cycle embryo transfer. Here we follow the menstrual cycle of the female with the help of ultrasound and hormones and once the lining is suitable, we do the embryo transfer"