Endometrium Too Thick?

[Guest guest]

I am working with a couple who are trying to conceive - wife is early 40s (they have had children before).  Wife just saw her OB/GYN for small amount of mid-cycle spotting - ultrasound was done, and doctor found that endometrium was too thick (wife is on day 14 of her cycle) - 12 mm.  Doctor has prescribed provera for 10 days - to allow the endometrium to shed completely ( " clean everything out " ) and then will do a sonohistogram (?) - injecting saline into the uterus for the ultrasound - in 3 weeks to look for polyps.  Wife has had a few clearly anovulatory cycles in the past few months - interspersed with what appear to be fertile cycles.  Wife is really worried about not being able to conceive again - the ultrasound tech told her she saw a follicle developing on the ultrasound, and couple had planned to try to achieve pregnancy this month.  Wife is depressed about not being able to use this clearly fertile cycle, but is also afraid that the thickened endometrium means she has cancer, etc.  Not sure what to make of the thick endometrium symptom.  Doctor also did an endometrial biopsy today but results won't be back for 2 weeks, after this cycle (and ovulation) has passed.

 

Wife is afraid to take the provera - not sure if it will have the same effect as " depo-provera " - possible longer-term negative effect on fertility.  Also afraid to miss this particular fertile cycle but doesn't want to conceive and then find out there is something wrong with her endometrium - couple of course is pro-life.

 

I guess our question is, will the provera taken in this one cycle have any negative effect on wife's fertility?  Can she try again to conceive safely the very next month after it is taken?  Is there a more natural approach she should be considering?

 

Also, what does the thick endometrium mean for her future fertility?  Is it the result of hormone imbalance?   Being in her early 40s, wife is uncertain which changes in her cycle are just natural, age-related and which might be due to some kind of pathology.

 

Thanks for any light anyone might be able to shed for this couple.  I've never encountered these particular issues before either.

 

Pam Pilch

Catholic Nursing Mothers League