Pregnant with tipped uterus?

[anne1140]

I have a tipped uterus, and I am 13w4d pregnant. For those of you who were or are pregnant with a tipped uterus, did you have any weird symptoms? For instance, I have had a lot of pressure down there, like something is pressing on my cervix. I have wondered if it could be because of the angle of my uterus/cervix. Also, I have had a more difficult time peeing lately. I feel like I need to go, and not much comes out. A bladder infection has been ruled out. It makes me think that maybe my uterus is pressing on my bladder in a funny way.

So I guess I am just asking if these things are more common if you have a tipped uterus? Or if there's anything else that you felt was specifically caused by that?

Also, when did your uterus tip forward, and did your cervix do the same? I ask, because my doctor told me about a week ago that my uterus had moved forward, but I went in yesterday (to check for that bladder infection), and the other doctor did an internal to check my cervix and said it was hard to get to because of the tilt. So...now I'm kind of confused.

Thanks for any insight!

[greenmulberry]

Well, I have always had a tipped uterus. I was told that at one of my first pap smears. Apparently my uterus tipped one way and my cervix tips the other. It does mean they must be very careful when inserting a speculum, because my cervix isn't where it is supposed to be.

I have to say I had all sorts of bizarre pains at the beginning of my pregnancy, but in reading this forum I find that there are lots of aches and pains that many women have. Not so much bladder pressure, but I had tightness and tension across my abdomen from time to time.

This is my first, I found being pregnancy to be a perplexing time in and of itself, so I am not so sure if I can tell you what was normal, because I was second guessing everything in my first trimester!!! However, now at 6 months along, I feel pretty OK.

[dakotablue]

Don't worry!!

My MW said that a lot of women have a tipped uterus after their first pregnancy and most docs never mention it. She said its no problem, only things about it are that it can be harder in the beginning to reach cervix and hearing the heartbeat can be more difficult until the baby is bigger or uterus moves forward (so like if it was forward you could maybe hear it at 10 weeks, but with a tipped it might not be until 13 weeks)

I didn't have any symptoms that pointed to the tilt...

[kittywitty]

Mine was tipped with #4 & 5. a little more crampiness, but really didn't cause me any issues.

[tracymom1]

Mine is tipped, too. I have a lot of low pressure and bladder discomfort in early pregnancy, and once it balloons up a bit I get outrageous heartburn and sciatic pain (which is common in pregnancy but happens a lot earlier with me) And we couldn't hear the heartbeat until about 13 weeks, which is why I ended up having an early ultrasound last time around - midwife wanted peace of mind!

[luckiest]

I was told my uterus was tipped at my first pap smear when I was a teenager. Every year for my annual they would comment on it, and just tell me it was a variation of normal. When my mom was a young woman, however, they told her that her tipped uterus meant she would have a difficult time getting pregnant, if she was ever able to. Five kids later, I'd say they were wrong

I haven't had any symptoms this pregnancy (my first) that I would consider strange or that I would attribute to my uterus being tipped. I didn't really show until close to 20 weeks, could be that it's my first pregnancy or that it took that long for my uterus to tip forward. I've never been able to reach my cervix easily, so I'm not sure how it might've changed.

[pregnant@40]

I have a retroverted (tipped) uterus, as do a large % of the American female population. My pregnancy symptoms were pretty typical for both pregnancies (ie. nausea first trimester, urinary frequency, fetal kicks eventually strong around 24 weeks, constipation/heartburn 3rd trimester, etc...). My uterus changed positions prior to the birth of my first (normal occurrence), as I expect it to do again prior to the birth of this second.

It's really nothing to worry about, and not that unusual.

[babygrey]

Originally Posted by anne1140

Also, I have had a more difficult time peeing lately. I feel like I need to go, and not much comes out. A bladder infection has been ruled out. It makes me think that maybe my uterus is pressing on my bladder in a funny way.

I wanted to comment specifically on the urinary issue- I have a very retroverted (tilted) uterus and I have experienced the same issue w/ def having a full bladder but not being able to "go" much. I've brought it up with my HCPs, both this pg and last- apparently it is an uncommon complication of a retrovert uterus right around the end of first/beginning of second tri, when your uterus is starting to be fully out of the pelvis. You're exactly right in your thinking- because of the direction the uterus is tilted, it can put too much pressure around your urinary system and physically blockyour urine from coming out.
The problem clears up in the second tri, as your uterus grows.

I actually have a friend IRL who had to see a urologist during pg for the same thing- tho, she truly wasn't able to go at all w/o a catheter (yikes).

This is what I find REALLY helps me- (TMI here): move around when peeing and try position changes. I lean way forward when peeing. Like, I lay on my lap, and, then I'll sit back up, do some pelvic tilts and try again and it works great. I assume it is moving my uterus temporarily?

You mentioned it, so you're probably on this, but do watch for is a UTI- I actually have never had one, but bc of this issue, they are more common in women w/ retroverted uterus.

Another unusual thing I had happen this pg was that I had a US 5weeks pg and they were not able to see ANYTHING. (as in, no sign I was pg). My beta was high enough and I was far enough along that they should have seen something. I actually had the scan reviewed by another radiologist who said they didn't see anything when they should have bc of the tilt in my uterus. Interesting now-- at the time super scary.

[GolfAddict]

I have a retroverted uterus as well. My MW said that it will flip back forward once the uterus is heavy enough...probably by the beginning of the 2nd trimester.

I don't know how it affects anything since my first pg ended with a mc. But beginning on Sun I had quite a lot of pulling on my left side and a little numbness/twinges starting down my left leg. Now I just feel the pulling. I golfed for 18 holes on Sat and I had only been playing about 9 holes since I found out I was pg. So I thought that I may have overdone it. But now I'm wondering if the pulling is from my uterus growing and stretching the ligaments.

[Evergreen]

Originally Posted by GolfAddict

I have a retroverted uterus as well. My MW said that it will flip back forward once the uterus is heavy enough...probably by the beginning of the 2nd trimester.

Yep. Me too.

[clutterbug]

I have had a retroverted uterus with all 3 pregnancies (and in between, I assume). It has caused the whole trouble peeing issue every time, right around the 12-13 week mark. It's been the worst this time, actually, my 3rd pregnancy - I woke up once last week at night and just could not start the flow of urine. I did knee-chest position on the bathroom floor, didn't help...then I laid on my tummy with a pillow under my hips in bed (basically, like knee-chest but warmier and cozier!) and after about 20 minutes I was able to pee (while leaning completely forward on the toilet with my hands on the floor ). Around this point in pregnancy, the uterus is still back in the pelvis and it starts crowding the other organs, hence reducing/cutting off the bladder's ability to empty. RARELY the uterus grows big enough without moving up that you find yourself unable to void your bladder at all...this requires a trip to ER to get a catheter and possibly have some manipulation to help the uterus move up. At least, that is what I have been told by the ultrasound tech (at my first ultrasound with first baby), an ob/gyn friend, and my midwife.

Some things I've found helpful:
-drink lots and pee often - for me, the peeing problem is the worst when my bladder gets super full. At the peak (last week), I was setting my alarm to wake up every 2 hours to pee at night....going longer than that seemed to lead to getting stopped up.
-spend some time each day in knee-chest position (get on all fours, then drop your forehead to the floor and relax your tummy muscles to make room for the uterus to fall forward)
-sleep on your side, angled forward a bit if you can

I am going to be 15 weeks tomorrow and just in the last 2 days, I have felt the whole thing resolve. And as an added bonus, I am feeling lots of baby movement

[DisplacedYooper]

I also have a tipped uterus, (and my mother) - we both experienced swollen cervical lips during labor, which I have read can be a complication. Also, not so much a symptom, but my midwife had a heck of a time getting a heartbeat, even at 16 weeks.

[BeanyMama]

Mine is tilted as well, it rights itself when full of baby No complications other than it was hard to find the heartbeat in early times.

[lisko15]

Tipped here as well.  I'm never sure which way its tipped... all I know is at OB appointments when PG with my DD and my DS, and when almost term, different providers have often been unable (or almost unable) to find my cervix.  It is that tipped, that at 37+ weeks PG, its still hard to find. 

(I always laughed about this when lying on the table so largely PG, since obviously I have ONE!)

With my last pgcy I did have a lot of low pressure, but not with my first pgcy, so I don't know if its related to the tipped uterus.  Both my babies were posterior... and I had AWFUL back labor both times... so those things make me wonder if they are connected. 

[Evergreen]

Originally Posted by bluepetals 

I have had a retroverted uterus with all 3 pregnancies (and in between, I assume). It has caused the whole trouble peeing issue every time, right around the 12-13 week mark. It's been the worst this time, actually, my 3rd pregnancy - I woke up once last week at night and just could not start the flow of urine. I did knee-chest position on the bathroom floor, didn't help...then I laid on my tummy with a pillow under my hips in bed (basically, like knee-chest but warmier and cozier!) and after about 20 minutes I was able to pee (while leaning

 

No way!!! I am 12 w pregnant with a retroverted uterus and I have been having problems like that. lol I never knew.
 

[LNEPtnt]

I recently went for a 12 week ultrasound (im 12w4d) and was told I had a retorverted (tipped) uterus.  This is my first pregnancy so naturally being told this I had to jump straight onto google to find out exactly what it is.  ALAS a reason for the things that have been happening to me.  I have had lots of painful cramping - sometimes to the point where i would just have to stop everything as it was so painful to move.  I still have this cramping and is still painful so i was getting scared of misscarriage. i get terrible cramping with my period too so i think thats got something to do with the tipped uterus too. good to see that there is a reason.