Your Uterus May Cause Infertility
Can problems with your uterus cause infertility? There are three common conditions that make it difficult for women to get pregnant.
If you are having difficulty getting pregnant or experiencing multiple miscarriages, having an internal exam is very prudent. This is can be done through a vaginal ultrasound, x-rays with the help of special dyes or solutions, or hysteroscopy where a small camera is inserted inside. There are several uterine conditions that doctors will look for that affect your fertility.
1. One condition results from a common growth in uteri called fibroids. These are non-cancerous tumors that grow on and within the womb. Although most times these fibroids won’t interfere with pregnancy, sometimes they can distort the shape so much that it begins to have problems like not being able to house the developing eggs or excessive bleeding. Should they interfere with your fertility, these growths can be removed with an operative hysteroscopy.
2. Another condition that can be harmful to your fertility is called Asherman’s syndrome. This is defined by the presence of scar-tissue inside uteri, often resulting from some other procedure that was done (like a C-section or surgeries to remove fibroids). These scar-tissues can also be removed with the aid of hysteroscopy. However, this procedure can also lead to the growth of more scar-tissue so you may be given hormones like estrogen after undertaking it. Sometimes doctors will place a balloon inside the womb for a week to keep scar-tissue from forming.
3. Some conditions are congenital or have been present since birth. Some are born without the organ. This is called mullerian agenesis. Some are born with only half a womb(unicornuate) with only one fallopian tube and one ovary attached to it. Some are born with the organ divided into two chambers, causing very difficult pregnancies. One condition is called a bicornuatewhere the tissue is physically split, both inside and outside, near its top. The second condition is called septate where the womb looks fine on the outside but has a tissue (called a septum) on the inside that splits the chamber in two. Both of these conditions result in a “Y-shaped” cavity inside and will sometimes cause confusion in diagnosis. Remember that a correct diagnosis is essential for treatment (which will usually involve some kind of corrective surgery) in these cases.
In most cases, a uterine problem will cause a fertility problem. But a treatment is available. Keep in mind though that your uterus may be only part of the picture. Discuss everything with your doctor and be sure that you know what the problem is, especially when talking about surgery. A correct diagnosis is a requisite of proper treatment.
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