You probably never gave much thought to your uterus until the day you chose to get going on trying for a baby. You normally need to have a well-functioning uterus to be able to conceive. Unfortunately uterine infertility is not that scarce. There a few things that can cause uterine infertility:

· Fibroids – These are small benign lumps that grow on the endometrium. If these develop near the cervix or fallopian tube openings, or they are rather large, or numerous, they could make it difficult for the sperm and the egg to meet.

· Polyps – Ever spotted a skin tag? Well, an endometrial or uterine polyp is similar to a little skin tag on the interior of the uterus. There are no definite indicators for polyps other than abnormal bleeding. Like fibroids, polyps can obstruct the fallopian tube or cervix openings making it hard for the egg and the sperm to meet.

· Malformations of the uterus – You may inherited an irregularly shaped uterus, which could influence your chances of conceiving and having a baby.

· Scar tissue – on the interior of the uterus is also known as Asherman’s Syndrome. This tissue can make it difficult to conceive or can increase the risk of miscarriage. Abortiongs, surgeries or infections could cause scar tissue.

· Endometriosis – This isn’t truly a problem with the uterus, but this is when tissue that normally only grows on the inner wall of the uterus grows outside too, causing incredibly painful periods and increasing the chance of ectopic pregnancy (when the fertilized egg implants outside the uterus and starts to develop – yes, that is as painful as it seems).

· Muscular problems – At the time of ovulation the uterus contracts to suck the sperm up into the fallopian tubes. If these contractions are feeble or happen at the wrong time it may make having a baby more difficult.

· Luteal phase defect – The name seems quite menacing, but this just suggests that the uterine lining doesn’t form properly.

· Abnormal endometrial lining – This is when the endometrium is too thick or too thin, although precise definitions of too thin or too thick are somewhat relative.

Various tests that are employed to diagnose these conditions:

· Ultrasound – Saline solution is injected into the uterus and then an ultrasound scan is done.

· Hysterosalpingogram – This is also to check for ‘plumbing problems’ by filling the uterus (and fallopian tubes) with a liquid that shows up on X-ray.

· Laparoscopy – A miniature camera goes in through a little cut in the abdomen to have a look around.

· Hysteroscopy – The camera is inserted through the vagina rather than through an incision in the abdomen.

Doctors may also use the tests listed above as opportunities to take tissue samples for screening.

After undergoing all these tests you may find that your uterus is just fine – and so begins the process of elimination! If you’re struggling to get pregnant then it’s helpful to know that uterine infertility is generally easily treated, so although the tests can be uncomfortable and awkward at least you’ll be closer to identifying what the problem is and that means you’ll be more able to fix it.

Here is more information on Endometriosis and Infertility. Here is a website with a free mini-course dedicated to Infertility.

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