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Basics

• Summary
• Diagnosis and Tests
• Treatments and Therapies

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• Related Issues
• Specifics
• Genetics

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• Clinical Trials
• Journal Articles

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Summary

The uterus, or womb, is the place where a baby grows when a woman is pregnant. The first sign of a problem with the uterus may be bleeding between periods or after sex. Causes can include hormones, thyroid problems, fibroids, polyps, cancer, infection, or pregnancy.

Treatment depends on the cause. Sometimes birth control pills treat hormonal imbalances. If a thyroid problem is the cause, treating it may also stop the bleeding. If you have cancer or hyperplasia, an overgrowth of normal cells in the uterus, you may need surgery.

With two other uterine problems, tissue that normally lines the uterus grows where it is not supposed to. In endometriosis, it grows outside the uterus. In adenomyosis, it grows in the uterus's outside walls. Pain medicine may help. Other treatments include hormones and surgery.

Diagnosis and Tests

• Hysterosalpingography (American College of Radiology; Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
• Hysteroscopy (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
• Laparoscopy (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
• Pelvic Exam (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
• Pelvis Ultrasound (American College of Radiology; Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish

Treatments and Therapies

• Dilation and curettage (D&C) (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)

Related Issues

• Vaginal Pessary (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish

Specifics

• Abnormal Uterine Bleeding (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
• Adenomyosis (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
• Cervicitis (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
• Double Uterus (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
• Endometrial Hyperplasia (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
• Uterine Polyps (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish

Genetics

• Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Müllerian aplasia and hyperandrogenism: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Uterine Diseases (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: Human Endometrial Pericytes: A Comprehensive Overview of Their Physiological Functions and...
• Article: The efficacy of early office hysteroscopy in preventing intrauterine adhesions after...
• Article: Intrauterine adhesion.
• Uterine Diseases -- see more articles

Find an Expert

• Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health Also in Spanish
• How to Find Find an Ob-Gyn (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists)

Patient Handouts

• Adenomyosis (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Asherman syndrome (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• D and C (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Endometrial ablation (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Endometrial polyps (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Endometritis (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Hysteroscopy (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Retroversion of the uterus (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish