Your menstrual cycle, often perceived as a mere monthly inconvenience, actually has the ability to impact your chances of getting pregnant. Factors like hormonal changes influence your entire cycle, including how thick or thin your uterine lining is. In this blog, you’ll learn about why this is important and how to increase your chances of pregnancy.
Why your uterine lining is important to your fertility
The lining of the uterus thickens and then thins over your menstrual cycle. In a typical menstrual cycle, estrogen made by the maturing ovarian follicle, causes the uterine lining to thicken by about 5mm, leading up to the first day of menstruation.
During menstruation, hormone changes cause your uterine lining to shed from the wall of your uterus and cause menstrual bleeding. The thickness of your uterine lining will decrease due to the shedding, and the menstrual bleeding will continue until clotting factors and hormone changes stop the bleeding and restart building up the uterine lining again. Your menstrual cycle is this growing and shedding of the uterus lining.
Thus, the length and heaviness of your period are correlated with the thickness of uterine lining formed in the early phase of your menstrual cycle. The thicker your uterine lining is, the more uterine lining shedding that occurs during your period, and the heavier and longer your menstrual bleeding will be.
How your uterine lining impacts pregnancy chances
To use the common metaphor of growing a garden, the soil must be sufficiently nourished for the seed to have success once it is planted. If you have a fairly light period that only lasts 3-4 days, it could be a sign that your uterine lining is not thick enough, which may limit the chances of getting pregnant. This is why during an IVF or IUI, a woman will be given different medications that will either directly or indirectly increase the thickness of her uterine lining.
The optimal thickness of the uterine lining is between 10 and 15mm with it reaching its maximum thickness at the time of implantation around 7 days past ovulation (DPO). The growth of your uterine lining is dependent upon the quality of blood flow to your uterus as well as the effect of estrogen in improving uterine lining thickness.
Why it is important to log your period on time
With accurate period logging, Premom ovulation calculator and period tracker can work for you with the highest accuracy for both predictions. Your body is unique. Not only are cycles different from one woman to another, but there are even differences within a woman’s own cycles. However, among all the signs between your ovulation cycle and menstrual cycle, the period is the most physically obvious and easy to track.
Any ovulation calculator, predictor, or test can always have the chance of being inaccurate, but period data can be 100% accurate as long as you log it on time. The more consistently you log your period, the more accurate your predictions will be.
Both ovulation day and the first period day can vary from cycle to cycle. However, your luteal phase length, which lasts from after ovulation day until the first day of the next period, is typically a fixed length.
How to increase your chances of getting pregnant
The treatment for women with a thin uterine lining is to increase blood flow to female reproductive organs, increase receptivity of the uterus to estrogen, and to balance hormones. There are a variety of ways to help this including:
1. Get enough rest
You need a minimum of 7 hours of restful, uninterrupted sleep to recharge your body and allow for optimal repair and growth to take place. Try to fall asleep and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends. Your sleep and wake hormones influence your reproductive hormones, so keep them balanced and your uterus will get the right message.
2. Exercise to increase blood flow
Strive for 30 minutes per day of exercise that incorporates movement of your legs and hips such as yoga, walking, running, cycling, swimming, elliptical, or aerobics. If you are not used to doing exercise, then take it slow. Build up to a comfortable routine that elicits a light sweat to improve blood circulation.
3. Reduce stress
Take time each day to relax, breathe, and calm your mind. This can be done with yoga, meditation, guided relaxation, prayer, or another outlet you find relaxing.
4. Improve your diet
Focus on a diet of whole foods. Eat at regular intervals throughout the day and stick to a routine – don’t skip meals. This helps balance your insulin and cortisol hormones which have an indirect effect on reproductive hormones. Include more broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, collard greens, cauliflower, kale, kohlrabi, mustard greens, rapeseed, and root vegetables, such as turnips and rutabagas. These foods help the liver detoxify and restore hormonal balance.
Eliminate high fructose corn syrup, which can negatively affect the communication of reproductive hormones. Reduce or eliminate coffee and other forms of stimulants. Choose organic, free range, grass fed animal products whenever possible.
5. Take Co-enzyme Q10 (CoQ10)
This is commonly recommended for women and men while they are trying to conceive and to improve the micro-circulation of the heart. CoQ10 assists in reducing oxidative stress to tissues. Since the uterus is reliant on the nourishment of blood flow and undergoes growth and shedding at regular intervals, the use of CoQ10 can benefit the integrity of the tissue and improve blood circulation. As always, be sure to chat with your doctor before beginning any new supplements.
Isn’t it interesting that hormones influence every aspect of your fertility health? Keep logging your period, tracking ovulation, and following these tips to maximize your chances of pregnancy. You got this!
References
- Thiyagarajan DK, Basit H, Jeanmonod R. Physiology, Menstrual Cycle. [Updated 2022 Oct 24]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan-.
- Jain V, Chodankar RR, Maybin JA, Critchley HOD. Uterine bleeding: how understanding endometrial physiology underpins menstrual health. Nat Rev Endocrinol. 2022;18(5):290-308. doi:10.1038/s41574-021-00629-4
- Reed BG, Carr BR. The Normal Menstrual Cycle and the Control of Ovulation. [Updated 2018 Aug 5]. In: Feingold KR, Anawalt B, Blackman MR, et al., editors. Endotext [Internet]. South Dartmouth (MA): MDText.com, Inc.; 2000-.
