The uterus is a small, fist-sized organ that plays a key role in nourishing a developing fetus during pregnancy. In most women, the uterus faces forward toward the abdomen, however, about 20% to 30% of women have a tilted uterus that faces toward the spine. To find out what are the causes and symptoms of uterine inclination, and does it prevent pregnancy or not? Continue reading the following article.

Symptoms of uterine tilt

Women who have a tilted uterus usually do not show any symptoms, but despite this, some women may show symptoms of a tilted uterus, including:

• Pain during sexual intercourse.
• Back pain during intercourse.
• Recurrent urinary tract infections.
• incontinence.
• Problems putting on tampons.
• menstrual pain

Reasons for tilting the uterus

The reason behind a tilted uterus is often genetic, but women can have a tilted uterus for other reasons, including:

• adhesions When a woman undergoes pelvic or abdominal surgery, adhesions (scar tissue) may form that affect the position of the uterus and pull it back.
• Endometrial: Where the presence of cells from the endometrium outside the uterus may cause the uterus to connect with other organs, which contributes to its pulling back.
• Uterine fibroids: Benign uterine tumors may cause the uterus to tilt.
• Pregnancy: When a woman is pregnant, the ligaments that hold the uterus in place can stretch, causing the uterus to tilt.
• menopause: As a woman gets older and her periods stop, estrogen levels drop, which can affect the ligaments that hold the uterus in place.

Diagnosis of uterine tilt

To determine whether you have a tilted uterus, your doctor will examine your reproductive organs, including your vagina, cervix, ovaries, uterus and pelvis.

The doctor will insert two fingers into your vagina and begin to push your cervix, with the other hand he will press down on your abdomen to gently hold your uterus with both hands. In this way, he can check the size and position of the uterus to see if the situation is normal or not.

The doctor may perform an additional procedure, which is a Pap smear; To check the condition of the uterus and that there are no other conditions, such as endometriosis or fibroids, that could cause the uterus to tilt.

Uterine tilt and pregnancy

After discussing the symptoms and causes of a tilted uterus, some women may ask, “Does a simple tilted uterus prevent pregnancy?” Doctors believed that it was difficult to get pregnant with a tilted uterus; This makes it difficult for the sperm to reach the egg.

But now, doctors believe that a tilted uterus will not prevent pregnancy, usually between the tenth and twelfth week of pregnancy, the uterus will not be tilted.

And in the event that you have fertility problems, it is likely that this is due to another medical condition such as endometriosis, or pelvic infection, which makes the process of conceiving more difficult.

The tilt of the uterus and natural childbirth

Childbirth may cause the uterus to tilt forward or backward, as it affects the stretching of the ligaments that hold the uterus in place, but in most cases, the uterus returns to its anterior position after childbirth. So the tilted uterus does not affect childbirth in any way except in some rare cases that may cause difficulty in childbirth.

Uterine tilt treatment

Treatment does not focus on the tilted uterus itself, but rather on the cause leading to it. Treatment options for the causes of the tilted uterus include the following:

1. Pessary

It is a suppository that the doctor places in the vagina. To help support the walls of the vagina, uterus, and other pelvic structures.
It can help restore the normal position of the uterus, but the vaginal suppository is only a temporary fix, as the uterus will return to its original position if removed.

2. Surgery

Surgery can reposition the uterus for some women, and permanent results and improvement in pain during intercourse are usually achieved with surgery.
They include:

3. Hormone therapy

Hormone therapy reduces estrogen levels in the body, which helps reduce pain and treat symptoms of conditions such as endometriosis.

The most common form of hormonal therapy is birth control in the form of the pill or the contraceptive ring.

Uterine tilt exercises

In addition to the previous treatment options, there are some exercises that can be done; To strengthen the muscles of the uterus, which helps the uterus to return to its anterior position. Among these exercises:

1. Knee-chest position

Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet on the floor, then raise one knee up to your chest and hold it with both hands. Hold this position for 15 to 20 seconds and then release your knee.
Repeat the exercise with the other knee, and repeat this process between the right and left leg two to four times each.

2. Pelvic contraction and relaxation

Lie on the floor with your arms by your side, then take a deep breath and lift your buttocks one inch off the floor, hold for five seconds and then release the position with the breath.
Repeat this process about five times, as this exercise helps to strengthen the pelvic muscles, and this encourages the uterus to return to its anterior position.

3. Oblique Twists

Lie on the floor with your hands behind your head in an interlocking position, and keep the knees bent so that the feet are flat on the floor, then raise the left knee while raising the head with the two hands at the same time so that your right elbow meets your left knee.
Repeat this process with the other side as well, making sure that the left elbow meets the right knee for at least ten seconds; For best results.

This exercise strengthens the oblique muscles, as it works well to strengthen the pelvic muscles, which is important for correcting the position of the tilted uterus.

4. Kegel exercises

Kegel exercises not only fix a tilted uterus, but also help reduce incontinence and keep your pelvic muscles strong.
But how do you do Kegel exercises? To find out about this and some important tips after performing the exercises, read our article on Kegel exercises.