Retroverted Uterus and pregnancy.

[pie]

Having had half a dozen scans to confirm that I wasn't having an ectopic pregnancy I found out that I have a retroverted uterus.

What I was wondering was whether the general discomfort, sort of a dull ache, was because it was being to rise out of my pelvis. I am 11 weeks pregnant.

I have been told that my retrovertedness (is that a word) is more that likely to be the cause of my years and bad painful periods, but no one has mentioned how it can feel in the early weeks of pregnancy. I know that as the baby gets bigger it makes no difference as it heads straight up.

[Jodiesmum]

Hi Pie, is this your first pregnancy? I had loads of discomfort with my first - aches and pains from day one to the very end - and like you also had a retroverted uterus and history of bad period pain. It made the pregnancy really worrying as I constantly thought something was going wrong and like you had several extra scans to check. Baby was born absolutely fine, the day after her due date - hooray! I was expecting all same stuff this time round but it's actually been completely different so far - 30 wks now and almost no pain at all. What I'm trying to say - in a really long winded way - is that I don't know what caused the discomfort (guess it could just be down to everything stretching and growing for the first time?) but at the end of the day, it needn't mean anything sinister. I wish you lots of luck anyway.

[pie]

This is actually my 3rd pregnancy. The first my DD was born on her due date. I was constantly going into the hospital complaining simply of how much pain I was in. They gave me the same growing pains explantion. The second time I had a mc at 9 weeks. So now at 11 weeks I am only just beginning to feel confident...

I just seem to have the worst backache for the past week and thought that as my womb was growing and as it normally lies very close to my spine this was why I can't even stand up staight most days.

God, why do we do this??????

[slug]

Pie, I was told I had a retroverted uterus and that generally it causes no problems in pregnancy.

I had quite a bit of pain in the first few months but then it settled down.

[Melly]

Hello Pie. I've got a r/v uterus as well and certainly suffered quite a lot of back pain when I was expecting my dd. Like you, my second pregnancy sadly ended in miscarriage at about 9 weeks. I'm now nearly 38 weeks pregnant and have really know what you mean about the backache. Unfortunately it has plagued me throughout this pregnancy and in the early days it just feels so similar to that backache you get just before a period doesn't it. I find that the more active I am the better, I have taken to doing lots of walking in the last few weeks, really to try to get the baby into the right position (which has worked ) but interestingly I have found that the backache has eased off considerably.
Wishing you all the best for your pregnancy and hope things go smoothly.

[Katherine]

Interesting stuff. What exactly is a retroverted uterus though? I was told at my early scan this pg that my uterus tips back slightly. First time anyone has commented on it in all my pg but I have had terrible backache and sciatica this time and used to have terrible periods years ago. Can it move? Anyway probably unrelated in my case but just curious. Had a terrible night last night so thinking of getting one of those pillows from grobag to see if it helps.

[pie]

Katherine - a retroverted uterus is sometimes called a tilted uterus and as you would seem to have been told you have a slight tilt this could explain any bad period pains or backache at certain times of the month.

I think that there are levels of tilting, some wombs will tilt back slightly. Mine for instants simply flops right back. Its my understanding that it is largly genticically determined. During puberty the womb tilts forward but in up to 20% of women this never happens and it remains where it its.

The GYN I saw said that mine was very far back and the fundus (top of the womb) actually sat against the top of my vaginal wall, which could cause painful intercourse as my partner would hit the fundus with er hem..every thrust.

I have also been scaring myself silly reading on very very very rare instances where a woman can get severe back pain around 12 weeks as the uterus gets stuck and doesn't pop forward.

Sometimes I think that the internet has only served to take my insomnia to new heights.

[pie]

Btw I don't think that it can be moved permantly, though there are excerise that can tip it forward temporarily. And apparently a doctor can do it manually. Though I would dread to be poked around that much!

[Katherine]

Thanks Pie, it does sound like I have a slight degree of tilt although as I never had problems with my other pg and no-one mentioned it before now I doubt it is significant.

Sounds pretty uncomfortable in your case though but I agree not sure I would want a doctor shifting it either. I'm sure there must be some exercises to help or even yoga?

I think there are loads of reasons for getting backpain during pg so I wouldn't put every twinge down to your RU and wouldn't panic unecessarily about it either. Roll on 13 weeks eh!