A uterus is a pear shaped, hollow organ where the foetus grows during pregnancy. It nurtures the baby throughout the duration of pregnancy. A healthy uterus is a prerequisite for the healthy growth and safe delivery of the baby. Sometimes, physical anomalies may affect the uterus during pregnancy and childbirth. One of them is tilted uterus.
In this article:
What Does it Mean to Have a Tilted Uterus?
How is Tilted Uterus is Caused?
Can I Get Pregnant if there is a Tilted Uterus?
What are the Symptoms of a Tilted Uterus?
How is Tilted Uterus is Diagnosed?
Are there any Risk Factors During Pregnancy?
How will the Tilted Uterus Affect My Birth?
What Happens to the Uterus After I Give Birth?
How Tilted Uterus can be Treated?
All You Need to Know about Getting Pregnant with Tilted Uterus
What Does it Mean to Have a Tilted Uterus?
The normal position of the uterus in a woman is usually in a straight, vertical position in the pelvis. In some women it may have a tilted or a tipped uterus where it is tipped or tilted backwards inside the pelvis. This tilted uterus is called as retroverted uterus. It is not common to have a tilted uterus. Around 20% of women have a retroverted uterus. Although the condition itself is not associated with any health disorder, it can have painful symptoms or be an indication of any underlying health disorder.
How is Tilted Uterus is Caused?
There are several causes which lead to a retroverted uterus in women which include –
- It can be genetic where the woman is born with a tilted uterus.
- During pregnancy, as the uterus enlarges, the ligaments which hold the uterus in place tend to become weak and lose their tension resulting in a tilted pelvis pregnancy and therefore a retroverted uterus. The uterus returns to normal, forward position after delivery in most cases, but may at times fail to do so.
- The uterus can also slip into a retroverted position after menopause as oestrogen levels dip. This weakens the ligaments which hold the uterus in place giving rise to this condition.
- Health issues like endometriosis or pelvic inflammatory disease can also cause a retroverted uterus. These health conditions can cause the formation of scar tissues inside the abdomen and move the uterus out of position.
Can I Get Pregnant if there is a Tilted Uterus?
Trying to conceive with a tilted uterus does not hinder or prevent pregnancy. It is linked to infertility only after all other possibilities that can lead to infertility have been ruled out. Trouble in getting pregnant with a tilted uterus is rare.
What are the Symptoms of a Tilted Uterus?
Women may or may not experience symptoms with retroverted uterus. The major symptoms are as follows –
- Dyspareunia – in this woman can experience severe pain and discomfort during sexual intercourse.
- Dysmenorrhea – severe pain during menstruation (before and after pregnancy).
The pain in these cases is because of the pressure placed on the rectum and ligaments around the tailbone by the tilted uterus.
General symptoms are also seen like –
- Infection in the urinary tract
- Pain and difficulty in using tampons
- Lower back pain, especially during intercourse
- Lack of control over bowel movement and urination, this is known as incontinence
- Although rare, infertility can also be one of its symptoms
If any of the symptoms persist for long period of time, consult the doctor and get diagnosed for a retroverted uterus.
How is Tilted Uterus Diagnosed?
A simple pelvic examination or an abdominal ultrasound by the doctor can identify a retroverted uterus.
Are there any Risk Factors During Pregnancy?
The uterus generally corrects its position between 10th and 12th weeks of pregnancy. This minimizes the risk of pregnancy and labour. Tilted womb and getting pregnant can get complicated it the uterus does not move into the correct position before delivery. Although rare, this can result in a miscarriage. Make sure to inform about the tilted uterus to doctor at the very beginning. Also, urinary tract infection is another risk.
How will the Tilted Uterus Affect My Birth?
A tilted uterus during pregnancy does not pose a risk to the baby or the pregnancy itself and in most cases, the uterus corrects itself as the pregnancy progresses. Hence, any surgery to correct the tilted uterus in pregnancy may not be necessary.
What Happens to the Uterus After I Give Birth?
The position of the uterus after delivery depends on various factors like the weight gain and the stretching of ligaments. The uterus may or may not settle in an upright position but the position is not going to affect future pregnancies in any way.
How Tilted Uterus can be Treated?
On getting pregnant, the uterus will move forward into the correct position and will not need any treatment. In case where the uterus does not correct itself or the position needs to be corrected before pregnancy, a simple surgery will help reposition it. Repositioning of the uterus will provide relief from menstrual pains and pains that are experienced during sexual intercourse due to a tipped position of the uterus. Also it can repositioned by knee chest and pessary.
Conclusion
Tilted uterus does not impact pregnancy in most cases, it is important to be aware of the condition and consult the doctor about the possible complications it can lead to during pregnancy. It generally does not cause any problems and rarely requires treatment.
References
https://parenting.firstcry.com/articles/retroverted-tilted-uterus
https://www.whattoexpect.com/pregnancy/tilted-uterus
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