Endometrial Hyperplasia

Endometrial hyperplasia or thickened endometrium is a condition, where the lining of the uterus becomes too thick. The thickened endometrial lining leads to abnormal bleeding. This causes increase in the production of the estrogen in the body, irregular menstrual cycle and deficiency of progesterone. The endometrial hyperplasia is a non-cancerous condition, that increases the risk of endometrial carcinoma.

  Endometrial hyperplasia of the uterus, by itself, is not cancerous, but it does require treatment and monitoring to prevent the risk of cancer.

 However, there are times when uterine hyperplasia can get worse, leading to atypical and precancerous cellular changes. This is why any woman with hyperplasia is considered to be at a higher risk for cancer than one without. And even though this sounds scary, especially if you’ve just been diagnosed with a thickened endometrium, you should know that there are many steps between hyperplasia and full-blown uterine cancer — and early identification and intervention for uterine abnormalities is highly successful.

 In cases of hyperplasia without atypia, the general routine is to use prescription-strength progesterone/progestin therapy for three months, then to retest the endometrium. In milder cases this usually works well. Many healthcare providers use Provera for this purpose, but at Women to Women we use Prometrium, a brand of micronized natural progesterone (at high doses) that the body seems to handle effectively when used properly. Compounded bioidentical progesterone can also be used with great success. We prefer this treatment to Provera because we question how well the body is able to break down and clear synthetic compounds.

 Because ongoing follow-up is critical to ensure resolution, be sure to schedule and keep follow-up appointments as recommended by your healthcare provider. Ask questions and seek a second opinion if you feel you aren’t getting answers. And don’t let your fear of the worst keep you from exploring all of your options. You should be confident regarding your short-term and long-term plan and know that you have all the support and information you need.

Excerpt taken from womentowomen.com