Endometrial Hyperplasia: Types, Symptoms, Causes, Treatment, Diagnosis

Endometrial hyperplasia; also called thickening of the inner lining of the uterus is responsible for menstrual irregularities in women. It happens due to the overgrowth of the endometrial cells inside the uterus.

Endometrial hyperplasia

Dr. Dimple Doshi at Vardaan Hospital; believes prevention is better than cure, and thus apart from the precise treatment guidelines; preventive measures are an essential part of our consultations with the patients who have either had it or want to know more about it.

Most cases of endometrial hyperplasia happen due to high levels of female hormone; that is estrogen and insufficient levels of progesterone which usually counteracts the growth enhancing properties of estrogen. This happens in:

  1. PCOD
  2. Estrogen replacement therapy
  3. Estrogen producing tumors
  4. Medicines used totreat breast cancer like tamoxifen.
  1. Heavy menstrual bleeding; heavier or lasting for a longer period of time
  2. Frequent menstrual periods.
  3. Intermenstrual periods.
  4. Postmenopausal bleeding.
WHO Classification of endometrial hyperplasia
  1. Endometrial hyperplasia without atypical cells; either simple or complex
  2. Endometrial hyperplasia with atypia
  • A detailed history taking and examination by your gynaecologist may raise a suspicion of you having endometrial hyperplasia; and this can be confirmed by:

    1. Ultrasonography
    2. Endometrial biopsy
    3. Pap smear may reveal presence of atypical gland cells.

Endometrial hyperplasia is a significant risk factor fo the development of endometrial cancer or uterine cancer.

If not treated;, endometrial hyperplasia progresses to  uterine cancer or adenocarcinoma within 20 years in:

  • 28% of cases with atypia and
  • about 5% of cases without atypia.

The rates are more favorable in cases with simple endometrial hyperplasia rather than complex hyperplasia.

Conservative Treatment:

By giving hormone therapy like cyclic or continuous progetin treatment.

Surgical Treatment

Hysterectomy means removal of uterus.