Approximately 20% of women have a retroverted uterus. While typically symptomless, this common condition can cause pain during sex and menstruation and, in rare cases, can contribute to pregnancy complications.
The expert gynecologists and pelvic floor physical therapists at Maiden Lane Medical in Manhattan, New York can diagnose retroverted uteruses and provide personalized treatment plans to address the underlying pelvic floor dysfunction when possible. If you have concerns about a retroverted uterus or pelvic floor dysfunction, schedule a consultation with our experts today.
What Is a Retroverted Uterus?
Normally, a uterus is anteverted, tipping forward toward the front of a woman’s body, positioned on top of the bladder. If you have a retroverted uterus, sometimes called a tipped uterus, it tilts backward toward your spine and presses on your rectum. However, there isn’t a set “correct” position of the uterus; it can vary in position and size.
How Can I Tell if I Have a Retroverted Uterus?
Many women with retroverted uteruses don’t know it, as the condition doesn’t necessarily cause any noticeable symptoms. Additionally, many of the common signs of a retroverted uterus are brushed off as the regular experiences of womanhood or attributed to another reproductive health issue. For example, some of the symptoms caused by a retroverted uterus include:
- Painful periods
- Painful sexual intercourse
- Difficulty using tampons
- Frequent urinary health issues like a urinary tract infection (UTI)
- Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
- Urinary incontinence
If you have any of these symptoms, you should talk to your gynecologist about them, as they could indicate a more severe issue such as endometriosis or fibroids.
What Is the Cause of a Retroverted Uterus?
Some women are born with a tilted uterus, while others develop the issues later in life. Some of the potential causes of a retroverted uterus include:
- Endometriosis
- Uterine fibroids
- Pelvic scarring or adhesions
- PID
- Childbirth
- Menopause
Pregnancy, childbirth, and menopause can all weaken the pelvic floor muscles ligaments, allowing your uterus to shift position.
How Is a Tilted Uterus Diagnosed?
Your gynecologist can diagnose a retroverted uterus during your annual pelvic exam. They can see and feel that your cervix tilts in a different direction. If necessary, your provider may order an ultrasound to confirm that you have a retroverted uterus and look for signs of fibroids or endometriosis, including scar tissue and adhesions.
Can a Retroverted Uterus Interfere with Pregnancy?
A tilted uterus in itself shouldn’t interfere with your ability to get pregnant or have a healthy pregnancy. However, some of the reproductive health issues that can lead to a retroverted uterus, such as endometriosis or fibroids, can impact your fertility.
If you’re under 35 and have been trying to get pregnant for a year or 35 or older and have been trying to get pregnant for six months, make an appointment with one of our women’s health experts to investigate the potential issues that could be getting in the way.
In very rare circumstances, you could develop uterine incarceration during pregnancy. Usually, when you’re pregnant and have a retroverted uterus, it will tilt forward during the second trimester. If it doesn’t, your uterus can get trapped in your pelvis.
Is it Harder to Give Birth with a Tilted Uterus?
There is no correlation between a retroverted uterus and complications during labor and delivery.
Can You Treat a Retroverted Uterus?
Our women’s health experts and pelvic physical therapists offer personalized treatment plans to treat a tilted uterus if it’s interfering with your health or quality of life. The first step of treatment is diagnosing the underlying cause of your tipped uterus and identifying the best therapies to relieve your symptoms and restore your health.
Find out how our doctors can help you!
Approximately 20% of women have a retroverted uterus. While typically symptomless, this common condition can cause pain during sex and menstruation and, in rare cases, can contribute to pregnancy complications.
The expert gynecologists and pelvic floor physical therapists at Maiden Lane Medical in Manhattan, New York can diagnose retroverted uteruses and provide personalized treatment plans to address the underlying pelvic floor dysfunction when possible. If you have concerns about a retroverted uterus or pelvic floor dysfunction, schedule a consultation with our experts today.
What Is a Retroverted Uterus?
Normally, a uterus is anteverted, tipping forward toward the front of a woman’s body, positioned on top of the bladder. If you have a retroverted uterus, sometimes called a tipped uterus, it tilts backward toward your spine and presses on your rectum. However, there isn’t a set “correct” position of the uterus; it can vary in position and size.
How Can I Tell if I Have a Retroverted Uterus?
Many women with retroverted uteruses don’t know it, as the condition doesn’t necessarily cause any noticeable symptoms. Additionally, many of the common signs of a retroverted uterus are brushed off as the regular experiences of womanhood or attributed to another reproductive health issue. For example, some of the symptoms caused by a retroverted uterus include:
- Painful periods
- Painful sexual intercourse
- Difficulty using tampons
- Frequent urinary health issues like a urinary tract infection (UTI)
- Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
- Urinary incontinence
If you have any of these symptoms, you should talk to your gynecologist about them, as they could indicate a more severe issue such as endometriosis or fibroids.
What Is the Cause of a Retroverted Uterus?
Some women are born with a tilted uterus, while others develop the issues later in life. Some of the potential causes of a retroverted uterus include:
- Endometriosis
- Uterine fibroids
- Pelvic scarring or adhesions
- PID
- Childbirth
- Menopause
Pregnancy, childbirth, and menopause can all weaken the pelvic floor muscles ligaments, allowing your uterus to shift position.
How Is a Tilted Uterus Diagnosed?
Your gynecologist can diagnose a retroverted uterus during your annual pelvic exam. They can see and feel that your cervix tilts in a different direction. If necessary, your provider may order an ultrasound to confirm that you have a retroverted uterus and look for signs of fibroids or endometriosis, including scar tissue and adhesions.
Can a Retroverted Uterus Interfere with Pregnancy?
A tilted uterus in itself shouldn’t interfere with your ability to get pregnant or have a healthy pregnancy. However, some of the reproductive health issues that can lead to a retroverted uterus, such as endometriosis or fibroids, can impact your fertility.
If you’re under 35 and have been trying to get pregnant for a year or 35 or older and have been trying to get pregnant for six months, make an appointment with one of our women’s health experts to investigate the potential issues that could be getting in the way.
In very rare circumstances, you could develop uterine incarceration during pregnancy. Usually, when you’re pregnant and have a retroverted uterus, it will tilt forward during the second trimester. If it doesn’t, your uterus can get trapped in your pelvis.
Is it Harder to Give Birth with a Tilted Uterus?
There is no correlation between a retroverted uterus and complications during labor and delivery.
Can You Treat a Retroverted Uterus?
Our women’s health experts and pelvic physical therapists offer personalized treatment plans to treat a tilted uterus if it’s interfering with your health or quality of life. The first step of treatment is diagnosing the underlying cause of your tipped uterus and identifying the best therapies to relieve your symptoms and restore your health.
Find out how our doctors can help you!
Treating the Underlying Condition
If an issue like endometriosis or fibroids has caused your uterus to tilt backward, your doctor will recommend treatment options ranging from hormone therapy to surgery to remove the abnormal growths or resulting scar tissue.
Pelvic Exercises
If you have weak pelvic muscles, our experts may recommend a variety of pelvic physical therapy options to strengthen your pelvic floor and correct the position of your uterus. Our pelvic physical therapists offer a wide range of exercises and other therapeutic modalities to address structural weaknesses.
Pessary
In some cases, your doctor may suggest a pessary – a device you insert into your vagina to provide additional support and help reposition your uterus.
Pelvic Surgery
In severe cases, you may need surgery to reposition your uterus or remove it. Surgery, especially hysterectomy, is treated as a last resort. Your doctor will discuss the benefits and potential risks to help you understand your treatment options.
If you have any signs of a retroverted uterus, a weak pelvic floor, or another reproductive health issue, contact the team at Maiden Lane Medical to schedule an appointment. Our specialists in Manhattan, NY are ready to give you the assistance you’re looking for!
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Treating the Underlying Condition
If an issue like endometriosis or fibroids has caused your uterus to tilt backward, your doctor will recommend treatment options ranging from hormone therapy to surgery to remove the abnormal growths or resulting scar tissue.
Pelvic Exercises
If you have weak pelvic muscles, our experts may recommend a variety of pelvic physical therapy options to strengthen your pelvic floor and correct the position of your uterus. Our pelvic physical therapists offer a wide range of exercises and other therapeutic modalities to address structural weaknesses.
Pessary
In some cases, your doctor may suggest a pessary – a device you insert into your vagina to provide additional support and help reposition your uterus.
Pelvic Surgery
In severe cases, you may need surgery to reposition your uterus or remove it. Surgery, especially hysterectomy, is treated as a last resort. Your doctor will discuss the benefits and potential risks to help you understand your treatment options.
If you have any signs of a retroverted uterus, a weak pelvic floor, or another reproductive health issue, contact the team at Maiden Lane Medical to schedule an appointment. Our specialists in Manhattan, NY are ready to give you the assistance you’re looking for!