In most women, the uterus is normally tilted slightly forward toward the belly. A retroverted or tilted uterus is one that tilts backwards. About 20% of all women have some degree of tilted uterus. This does not mean that a woman with a tilted uterus is not fertile or cannot conceive a child. It does mean that a woman with a tilted uterus might have specific symptoms and might have to take special steps to compensate for the tilt and to become pregnant. Read on to learn what to do if you have a tilted uterus.

Can Tilted Uterus Lead to Infertility?

Typically, the short answer to this question is: NO, a tilted uterus does not directly lead to infertility. Your chance of conceiving a child depends on the health and motility of the sperm, your cervical mucus and other factors, but the position of your uterus really does not have anything to do with your fertility. However, if the tilted uterus is caused by an underlying infection or disease such as endometriosis, you may have more trouble getting pregnant. The inflammation and scar tissue from these diseases may make it harder for the egg to be released from the fallopian tube, but the position of the uterus may just be a symptom of the underlying disease. Your healthcare provider can determine if your tilted uterus is caused by one of these diseases. Once the infection is treated, your uterus may return to a more normal position.

Symptoms of a Tilted Uterus

The first time some women are aware that they have a retroverted uterus is when they visit a healthcare provider for a pelvic exam. Other women may experience symptoms of a tilted uterus including:

• Painful sex including low abdominal or back pain
• Painful menstrual cycle
• Difficulty or pain when inserting a tampon
• Urinary tract infections or incontinence
• Infertility – Although not common, if all else has been ruled out, a tilted uterus may be a cause of infertility.

How to Compensate for a Tilted Uterus

If your healthcare provider tells you that you have a tilted uterus, there are certain things you can do to compensate for the tilt and increase your fertility.

1. Self Fertility Massage

Self fertility massage is a technique you can try in order to remove blockages in your pelvis and abdomen. You may find that full intestines are causing your uterus to tilt back towards your spine. Using fertility massage may help to move fecal matter through your abdomen making it easier for your uterus to assume a more normal position. Occasionally, endometriosis or pelvic inflammatory disease will affect your menstrual cycle and blood will not be totally removed from the uterus. Self-fertility massage can help remove this debris and increase your chances of getting pregnant. Finally, this massage technique can reduce stress and decrease the hormones that lead to stress and can cause infertility. Watch a quick video that will show you some of the basics of self fertility massage that you can begin today:

2. Fertility Yoga

As any practitioner of yoga will tell you, there are many more benefits to the practice than just flexibility and relaxation. As with any type of yoga, the purpose of fertility yoga is to unblock areas of your body and relieve the stress that can cause problems. In the case of fertility yoga, the purpose is to unblock the reproductive systems of both the man and the woman. The specific poses used in fertility yoga stretch the reproductive and endocrine systems that are so important to fertility. Hormones move back into balance and the system begins to detoxify itself. Physically, the stretches may actually allow the tilted uterus to move back into a more normal position. If stress is a cause of the infertility, fertility yoga can help that, too. This 10-minute video will give you some ideas about yoga poses you can use to move your uterus back into a normal position and increase your chance of conceiving a healthy baby:

3. Certain Sexual Positions

When all else fails, there are certain sexual positions that may help move your uterus forward and increase your chances of being able to conceive. Try slipping a small pillow under your buttocks to raise your pelvis slightly as you are having sex. After sex, continue lying on your back with your pelvis slightly elevated. Alternatively, try having sex on your hands and knees so your uterus will tip down toward your belly.