Effect of Plant Extracts (Fennel and Chamomile) on Menstrual Cycles and Endometrial Thickness: A Clinical Trial

Introduction: In general, infertility in a couple is defined as the inability to conceive after one year of regular intercourse, considering timing, technique, and without the use of contraceptive methods. This condition affects 10%-15% of couples, and endometrial thickness is one of the factors affecting fertility. The present study aimed to assess the effects of fennel and chamomile on endometrial thickness and menstrual cycles. Methods: The current study employed a quasi-experimental design with parallel group allocation. Married women presenting with infertility and menstrual irregularities were recruited with informed written consent and randomly assigned to either herbal extract or placebo groups. Initially, participants completed a demographic questionnaire, and their menstrual cycles were assessed, with endometrial thickness measured via ultrasound. Participants were then randomly provided with a bottle containing either 120 mg of fennel extract and 1000 mg of chamomile extract, or a placebo. After 12 weeks, endometrial thickness and menstrual cycle parameters were re-evaluated using ultrasound. The data were analyzed in SPSS software (version 26). In order to compare normally distributed quantitative variables across groups, the Mann-Whitney test and independent t-test were employed, while the Wilcoxon test and paired t-test were utilized for before-and-after comparisons. The significance level was set at 0.05 for all tests." Results: In the present study, there was no statistically significant difference in age between the intervention and placebo groups. After the intervention, menstrual cycle duration (19.97 vs. 47.88), frequency (44.59 vs. 21.72), and amount of bleeding (39.65 vs. 26.97), as well as endometrial thickness (8.970±0.986 vs. 4.750±0.977) demonstrated a statistically significant difference between the intervention and placebo groups (P=0.0001). In addition, there was a statistically significant difference between the intervention groups before and after the intervention. Conclusion: Based on the research findings, the 12-week use of the combined medication of chamomile and fennel resulted in the regularization of menstrual cycles and an increase in endometrial thickness.