Effect of a Tipped Uterus on Fertility

 

In response to Jean (Issue 35) regarding a tilted uterus and ability to get pregnant: Give yourself some time (certainly a year), and don't worry. If you don't feel like having sex sometimes, don't. Many women feel more interested in sex around the time they ovulate. I have heard it recommended that right after sex stay lying on your back with your knees up for around half an hour before getting up. I also have a "tipped womb." Don't know if I'm especially fertile, but the first time I got pregnant on the second month. The second time I got pregnant the very first time, and was feeling morning sickness within a week.
-Susan Hodges
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I am not a medical expert nor do I have statistics on this issue, but my mother was diagnosed with a tipped uterus and was told she would probably never be able to have children. She went on to have six (whether she wanted that many or not) without any problems.
-E. Stukel, AAHCC
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I also have a tilted uterus and am extremely fertile. Two of those pregnancies were for friends who couldn't have children. Because my uterus is tilted toward my back, my cervix is not placed high inside my vagina. It is just barely inside on my anterior wall. Even with my cervix in that position, I have had easy conceptions, healthy pregnancies and delightful births. I hope the following information about myself will be helpful to you.

Position: My conceptions, both natural and artificially inseminated, have occurred when I am upright and active within 30 minutes or so. I don't have any proof that this works except my own pregnancies. When I have tried to become pregnant by making love just prior to sleeping, I didn't conceive. For my artificial inseminations, a latex cap held the semen against the cervix. I removed it four hours after the insemination. This worked on our first month of inseminations with the first surrogate baby. With my second I appeared to have an allergic reaction to the cap during the first and second month of trying. On the third month we just inserted the semen into my vagina, waited 10 minutes, and went home. I got pregnant. With my three natural conceptions I didn't use any device. All three were a result of afternoon or morning love making where I was up and busy within 30 minutes.

Timing: Many women who have difficulty conceiving have an unusual cycle. Their periods may or may not be regular, but they may not ovulate at the "normal" time (14 days after the first day of your menstrual cycle). Three of my pregnancies were accomplished by using an ovulation test kit, which can be bought over the counter. It involves a urine test every day, beginning around Day 11-12 of your cycle. A test reaction (check the directions) indicates a hormone surge that precedes ovulation by 12-36 hours. That is your cue to begin trying to conceive. If this doesn't work within a few months, you can also see a gynecologist/fertility specialist for daily ovarian ultrasounds after the test reacts to pinpoint the day of ovulation.

Frequency of love making: If the male sperm count is low, or has low motility, you may get the best quality semen by making love every other day. If the male does not have count or motility problems, it may be fine to try daily. The sperm are usually alive and active for 24-72 hours after ejaculation. The ovum is viable for up to 3 days as well. So daily love making is not necessary. Also, 40% of infertility is due to male factors. A sperm count and motility test is non-invasive and relatively inexpensive.

Other factors: I have personally found that stress is the greatest inhibitor to conception. It's too easy to get caught up in the mechanics of ovulation and conception. Find your balance, and keep laughing. A sense of humor is the only way to stay sane during conception attempts, pregnancy, and certainly parenting. I also recommend the national infertility support group RESOLVE; contact them at: www.resolve.org

>From a few fairly "dry" days post menstruation, you will progress to a couple of very "wet" days mid-cycle. This is a sign that ovulation is imminent. A day or two later you will notice your mucous is like egg white, very thick and stretchy. You may notice a big glob of it when you wipe after going to the toilet. This is fertile mucous. Sperm can live in fertile mucous for up to seven days. If you start having sex when you notice that you are wetter, or by counting the days from your period, you will be more likely to have sperm lying in wait for the ovum to be released. Most eggs are actually fertilized in the fallopian tubes, not the womb itself. Once an ovum is released it only lives for around 36 hours, so to have sperm waiting will increase the chances of fertilization. Some women actually have a physical sensation with ovulation, a sort of low, dull pain. Ovulation alternates between ovaries each month (generally speaking), so the sensation will alternate as well. In our culture we tend to focus on menstruation rather than the monthly cycle which includes ovulation. You can also monitor your basal temperature to recognize ovulation.