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Tilted uterus: Can it lead to infertility?
By Mayo Clinic staffOriginal Article: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/tilted-uterus/AN00461
- With Mayo Clinic gynecologist and obstetrician
Mary M. Gallenberg, M.D.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
Mary M. Gallenberg, M.D.
Mary M. Gallenberg, M.D.
Dr. Mary Gallenberg is board certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology and by the American Board of Internal Medicine in internal medicine and medical oncology.
An Antigo, Wis., native, Dr. Gallenberg is a consultant in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn., and an assistant professor at College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic.
Dr. Gallenberg has been with Mayo Clinic since 1990. She was on the Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource editorial board and has been honored for excellence in teaching. She also won a Mayo Clinic Excellence Through Teamwork award.
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Question
Tilted uterus: Can it lead to infertility?
Does having a tilted uterus make it more difficult to conceive?
Answer
from Mary M. Gallenberg, M.D.
A tilted uterus, also called a tipped uterus or retroverted uterus, is a normal anatomical variation. It shouldn't interfere with your ability to conceive.
In most women, the uterus tips forward at the cervix. About one in four women, however, have a uterus that leans backward, or tilts, at the cervix. In the past, it was thought that a tilted uterus may contribute to infertility. But experts now know that the position of the uterus doesn't affect the ability of sperm to reach an egg.
Rarely, a sharply tilted uterus may be due to a disease such as endometriosis. In this case, endometriosis — not the position of the uterus — may be a cause of infertility.
- Katz VL. Reproductive anatomy: Gross and microscopic, clinical considerations. In: Katz VL, et al. Comprehensive Gynecology. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/208746819-4/0/1524/0.html. Accessed Jan. 10, 2011.
- LeBlond RF, et al. The female genetalia and reproductive system. In: LeBlond RF, et al. DeGowin's Diagnostic Examination. 9th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Medical; 2009. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aid=3656235. Accessed Jan. 10, 2011.
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