
One of the more common causes of changes in endometrial thickness is pregnancy.

The thickness of the endometrium changes during a person’s menstrual cycle, but other factors can prompt changes as well. The RSNA also state that in healthy postmenopausal people, the endometrium typically measures about 5 mm or less.Ĭauses of a very thin or thick endometrial lining The endometrium gets thicker as the pregnancy progresses. This allows the embryo to implant successfully and receive the nutrition it needs. Healthcare experts link the best chances for a healthy, full-term pregnancy to an endometrium that is neither too thin nor too thick. PregnancyĮndometrial thickness is important in pregnancy. During this secretory phase, endometrial thickness is at its greatest and can reach 16 mm. At this phase, the endometrium begins to thicken and may measure between 5–7 mm.Īs the cycle progresses and moves towards ovulation, the endometrium grows thicker, up to about 11 mm.Ībout 14 days into a person’s cycle, hormones trigger the release of an egg. The first half of the proliferative phase starts around day 6 to 14 of a person’s cycle, or the time between the end of one menstrual cycle, when bleeding stops, and before ovulation. In imaging tests of young females who have not yet begun menstruating, the endometrium is present but smaller than it will be later in life.Īccording to the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), the endometrium is at its thinnest during menstruation, when it usually measures between 2–4 millimeters (mm) in thickness.


The normal thickness of the endometrium changes throughout a person’s life, from childhood, through to sexual maturity, fertile years, and after menopause. Share on Pinterest A healthcare provider may measure the thickness of the endometrium with an ultrasound.
