# TIlted uterus = c-section?!?



## Lovinmy2babies+1 (Mar 18, 2006)

I have a tilted uterus and have been doing a ton of research on VBA2C. I just read that if you have a tilted uterus, you automatically need a c-section. Is that true?


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## katzmark04 (Feb 4, 2005)

I was told i have a back tilting uterus and i have never heard that in my life.. I had DD normally and have no reason to believe i will to have a normal birth again. Good luck finding out, i will be watching this for info.


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## Rigama (Oct 18, 2005)

I have a tilted uterus and my son was born vaginally.


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## MotherWhimsey (Mar 21, 2005)

I have a totally retroverted uterus, and I gave birth vaginally, naturally, and in 4 hours total. So no, I don't think so. My doctor told me that after about 12 weeks it doesn't matter anyway as the uterus will end up going up regardless of if it started out tilting back or forward. So what I understand is that if I went to him at say 20 weeks, he would have never known, cause it would be no differant than normal. Now that's just my understanding, but I have never heard that tilted uterus means c-section, ever.


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## dynamicdoula (Jun 11, 2004)

Where did you read this?


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## TiredX2 (Jan 7, 2002)

I have a tilted uterus as well and have had two vaginal births (one a home birth).

Coming from the masters of hype (What to Expect):

Quote:

In 20 percent of women, the top of the uterus is tilted toward the back instead of the front. In most cases, the uterus rights itself by the end of the first trimester.
Do you know if there are adhesions from your previous C-sections that would increase the likelihood of your uterus being unable to repostion later in the pregnancy?


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## TiredX2 (Jan 7, 2002)

Also:









Where did you read that? Because I have been unable to find any info on it. Is there a specific problem from your C-section that you are referring to that produces the problem?


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## Lovinmy2babies+1 (Mar 18, 2006)

I tried going back to find where I read it, and I can't find it now.

I have no idea about my adhesions. I'm about 12 weeks and it's still tilted pretty far back. It was tilted my last pregnancy also.

One question about adhesions though. Before I got pregnant this time, I could feel a "bump" under my incision... Is this going to be ok for a VBAC? I'm wondering if my uterus incision feels the same...


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## lucyem (Apr 30, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *MotherWhimsey*
I have a totally retroverted uterus, and I gave birth vaginally, naturally, and in 4 hours total. So no, I don't think so. My doctor told me that after about 12 weeks it doesn't matter anyway as the uterus will end up going up regardless of if it started out tilting back or forward. So what I understand is that if I went to him at say 20 weeks, he would have never known, cause it would be no differant than normal. Now that's just my understanding, but I have never heard that tilted uterus means c-section, ever.


My midwife told me the same, it does not matter since as your pregnancy progresses your uterus moves. Mine is tilted back normally. I had 10 lb and 9 lb babies vaginally.


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## charmander (Dec 30, 2003)

I have a tilted uterus and have had two vaginal births.

When you are pregnant and have a baby filling up that uterus, it is not tilted anymore..


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## rozzie'sma (Jul 6, 2005)

My mom had a tilted uterus and had all 3 of us vaginally


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## Pam_and_Abigail (Dec 2, 2002)

My mom had a tilted uterus as well, and had both my sis and I vaginally, as well as quickly. This is anecdotal, but she always suggested we were quick because of the tilt. Apparently I came out so fast, I really had to be "caught"! Sounds like the above is more likely, with the uterus just going up after a while.


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## USAmma (Nov 29, 2001)

I have one that is tilted forward and to the left. I had two vaginal births with no problems. The tilt usually corrects itself as the baby grows in the womb and by the time you give birth there is very little difference (if any) to a normal uterus. My births were relatively fast and easy. My only issue was I had an irritable uterus with both pregnancies, constant cx, and with dd2 I was put on bedrest due to preterm labor at 23 weeks and a few times after that. But I don't think that had anything to do with the shape or position of my uterus.


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## MCatLvrMom2A&X (Nov 18, 2004)

My uterus is tilted and 2 vag births no problem. My mom and both sisters were also tilted no issues. I have read and been told by one dr it is hereditary to have tilted and most of the ones that have it have no idea they do.


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

a nurse practitioner told me once at an annual exam that my uterus tilted to the back when in most women it tilts forward. she is the only care provider who has ever noted that. i then did some research of my own and found out that it is estimated that 10-30% of women have a uterus that is retroverted this way, but that in most cases during pregnancy, the growth of the baby in utero corrects the tilting to forward and there is no significant difference in birth methods or outcomes between the two sets of women.

~claudia


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## cielle (Apr 14, 2002)

Yup. Tilted here and no problems. Mine did go back to being tilted sometime after birth.


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## 3daughters (Aug 11, 2004)

I, too, have a tilted uterus and have been told that by most caregivers that have examined me! 3 normal, vaginal births...


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

forgot to say that we had normal, vaginal (albeit kinda long) homebirth with our son.


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## grace's voice (May 12, 2005)

I have a tilted uterus and my mw actually told me that the weight of the baby during pregnancy evens it out. It must be true because my cervix is normally just a few inches inside my vagina, and a bit to the side. Now I can just barely reach the edge of it and its in the middle.


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## afishwithabike (Jun 8, 2005)

I have a tilted uterus and i have had two sucessful vaginal births.


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## Peony (Nov 27, 2003)

Retroverted uterus here as well. My MW didn't know until I went in for my 6 week pp check-up, by the time I had a internal when I was pg with dd, it had shifted into a normal position.


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## Zyla (Nov 27, 2005)

Count me in as a member of the tilted uterus club: three homebirths. My doctor told me very plainly that it doesn't adversly effect birthgiving.


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

I have a uterus that is titled so far back it almost lays on my spine, and it's bicornate. Other than 1 c/s for transverse breech I've had 2 vag births and I'm cooking another bun in the oven. It's crap that you HAVE to have a c/s for a tilted uterus, just like it's crap you HAVE to have a c/s for a bicornate uterus.


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## courtenay_e (Sep 1, 2005)

Another two vaginal births here. Four and six hours of active labor! I can be done!


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## waiting2exhale (Mar 28, 2006)

My uterus is tilted and no one has said anything to me about needing a c-section. I'm due in June but still... I think that they would at least mention that.. right?


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

Well if they do Waiting, just ignore them. There lying.


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## lilyka (Nov 20, 2001)

another tilted. all three of mine were born easily and vaginally. my uterus tipped at about 15 weeks. or so. It was great. I got to put away my maternity clothes for a while which was great because I had been wearing them since I was 6 week pregnant . . .

I think that advice must have come sgortly after "women with a tilted uterus can't get pregnant"


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## Rockies5 (May 17, 2005)

add 5 more vag births to the tilted uterus club.

I'm sorry but it sounds like some sort of invented reason because your ob wants you to have another section. Get a new provider.

my grandma once told me that her uterus was "upside down and backwards"







and her dr didn't know how she kept having babies.


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

That's the upside to my tilted uterus Lilyka. I don't thik I've ever needed to wear mat. clothing until I was around 16-20 weeks.


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## tmhorn (Jun 9, 2005)

My stepmother was told that she had a tipped uterus, is that the same thing? She was told she'd never conceive. She and my dad have 8 kids, all vaginal births. My youngest half sister is 18 months old.


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## mimid (Dec 29, 2004)

I was told by 3 OBs that I have a tilted uterus and that it has no affect on getting pg, carry a babe or birth.


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## SaveTheWild (Mar 14, 2003)

my midwife told me that by 15 weeks or so tipped uteruses end up tilting back in the "normal" direction as they grow and spread. Certainly by 40 weeks they are jsut the same as anyone elses. no connection to c-section at all from what I have read. sounds like a very very ill-informed doc.


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## ~~Mama2B~~ (Mar 9, 2006)

This might be a TMI question but...

My mom has a tilted uterus and I think I do too. My mom says it made "lining everything up" for intercourse kinda tricky and sometimes painful. That's certainly been the case with dh and I and I've been blaming it on the tilted uterus the whole time. Has anyone else had this problem with a tilted uterus?

Kristi


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## 3daughters (Aug 11, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Pynki*
That's the upside to my tilted uterus Lilyka. I don't thik I've ever needed to wear mat. clothing until I was around 16-20 weeks.

Me too! I always wondered if there was a relationship. I'm one of those women that start getting the "congratulations, you're pregnant" comments at about 30 weeks along







.


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## USAmma (Nov 29, 2001)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *~~Mama2B~~*
This might be a TMI question but...

My mom has a tilted uterus and I think I do too. My mom says it made "lining everything up" for intercourse kinda tricky and sometimes painful. That's certainly been the case with dh and I and I've been blaming it on the tilted uterus the whole time. Has anyone else had this problem with a tilted uterus?

Kristi

Yep, I have that problem. I notice it's better around ovulation because it's higher and softer. During the week or so before my period it gets painful because it gets low and hard again. The missionary position works best during the painful times. Dh is also very mindful of it.


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## KatSG (Aug 11, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *USAmma*
Yep, I have that problem. I notice it's better around ovulation because it's higher and softer. During the week or so before my period it gets painful because it gets low and hard again. The missionary position works best during the painful times. Dh is also very mindful of it.

Huh! I never thought about that. Explains a lot.

Tilted here, too. My mom was as well. Vaginal births, no problem. The only thing I would say that I think makes a difference is that we both had back labor, and feel menstrual cramps in the back, but we both say that labor doesn't hurt that much. I thought she was crazy until I did it myself and it really was fine.


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## Elowyn (Nov 3, 2003)

Whoever wrote that tilted uterus = c/s? I just have two words: Crazy Talk. As many above have attested, vaginal birth happens with tilted uteri all the time. Even the c/s-happy OBs (c/s rate above 60%!!!) I trained with didn't take whether or not the uterus was retroverted into account when considering c/s vs vag.

I just saw above that you're wanting/considering a VBAC - you go girl. VBACs are by and large a great choice.


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## USAmma (Nov 29, 2001)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *KatSG*
Huh! I never thought about that. Explains a lot.

Tilted here, too. My mom was as well. Vaginal births, no problem. The only thing I would say that I think makes a difference is that we both had back labor, and feel menstrual cramps in the back, but we both say that labor doesn't hurt that much. I thought she was crazy until I did it myself and it really was fine.

My labor really was intense and painful.







My cx were off the charts and close together from the start.


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## Lovinmy2babies+1 (Mar 18, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *~~Mama2B~~*
This might be a TMI question but...

My mom has a tilted uterus and I think I do too. My mom says it made "lining everything up" for intercourse kinda tricky and sometimes painful. That's certainly been the case with dh and I and I've been blaming it on the tilted uterus the whole time. Has anyone else had this problem with a tilted uterus?

Kristi

Yes, this is totally true. Sometimes certain positions are very uncomfortable.


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## lexbeach (Mar 6, 2002)

I have a retroverted uterus and cervix too, as do my mom and her mom, and my two sisters. My mom says that this is why she had back labor with all three of her births. My sister also had back labor with her birth. I don't really see where the correlation would come from, but anyway, that's the only real negative I've heard associated with a tilted uterus. Another negative is when you're getting an IUI (intrauterine insemination--that's the way I get pregnant), it can be tricky (i.e. painful) for them to thread the catheter through the cervix into the uterus. Apparently mine is tipped *and* twisted, or something.

Hoping for a HBAC this time! My c-section last time was simply due to breech twins, no mention of tipped anything.

Lex


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## mimid (Dec 29, 2004)

Wow! Never linked the titled uterus and painful intercourse, but it does make total sense.


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## ~~Mama2B~~ (Mar 9, 2006)

Well, it's a relief to hear that other have the same problem... not that I want any of you to have the same problem... ykwim!

I hadn't thought about intercourse being less painful during ovulation, but that certainly makes a lot of sense. I'll have to remember that.

Maybe this is crazy, but would it be possible for pregnancy to tip the uterus into allignment permenantly? I'm just curious if this little problem could fix itself at some point...

Kristi


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## OnTheFence (Feb 15, 2003)

HAving a tilted uterus does not make you prone to cesarean birth, or not qualify you for a VBAC?

What was the reason for your initial csection? This may play a bigger part than anything.


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

Mama2B, not sure about pregnancy putting a uterus into alignment permanently, but wanted to point out that it is not a problem per se, just a variant of "normal", given that 1/10 to 1/3 of women (dontcha just love research?) have a retroverted (or tipped or tilted) uterus.

Just a different way of looking at things...

~claudia

p.s. For more about different ways of looking at your own womanly body and its sometimes joyous, sometimes frightening, sometimes questionable, sometimes icky, but always amazing abilities, take a look at Christiane Northrup's book Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom.


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

I know that for me paps are really painful because my cervix is so "high" when not pg that they really have to sort of push the scapula UP to get it aligned. It hurts. Every time. I have heard that depending on how tilted your uterus is, pregnancy COULD tip it properly. I haven't found that to be the case for me however and I'm on my 4th pregnancy.


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## *guest (Oct 7, 2005)

Retroverted uterus here, neither my GYN nor my midwives ever mentioned it would be an issue for a vaginal delivery. Only things "different" about my pregnancy: took longer to hear the heartbeat due to uterus position. We found it at 14w. I'm also not showing as out front as other people at my same stage of pregnancy. And mine was retroverted due to endo adhesions, so it was uncomfortable for about a week when it did finally free itself.

To other posters: when my GYN first found the tipped uterus, she also asked me if any positions were uncomfortable during intercourse. Apparently it's a pretty common side effect. Definitely true for me that some ways are better than others.


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## ~~Mama2B~~ (Mar 9, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *TurboClaudia*
Mama2B, not sure about pregnancy putting a uterus into alignment permanently, but wanted to point out that it is not a problem per se, just a variant of "normal", given that 1/10 to 1/3 of women (dontcha just love research?) have a retroverted (or tipped or tilted) uterus.

Just a different way of looking at things...

~claudia

p.s. For more about different ways of looking at your own womanly body and its sometimes joyous, sometimes frightening, sometimes questionable, sometimes icky, but always amazing abilities, take a look at Christiane Northrup's book Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom.

Hmmm... Isn't that something. Well, at least I know. Thanks a bunch!

Kristi


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