Retroverted Uterus

Body: 

I can't find my original question about retroverted uteruses so I had to start a new topic...

Christine - you said that retroverted uteruses are usually considered a mild or first stage of prolapse. I talked it over with my PT and she showed me with her anatomical model why this is so - so it all makes sense now, since the uterus is already tilted back, it makes it much easier to slide on down... My question is that I was first told about my retroverted uterus at my first gyno appt, when I was 18 years old. So how did it get retroverted? I was born like that? Or had I bad posture as a teenager? I "blossomed" very early and was embarrased by it. I tended to hunch my shoulders a lot until the rest of my friends caught up with me (and some never have ;-)). I wonder if by having bad posture as a pubescent girl I was setting myself up for this... or was I born like this? It's interesting...

Kathy

There's a certain anatomy we are born with, and another that develops over the course of growing up. I suppose some prolapse conditions could be congenital, but would expect them to be associated with such things as spinal malformations.

By our teen years we are practically all misshapen. Here's an example: You know that in normal anatomy our palms are supposed to face in toward our thighs when our arms are hanging down at our sides? The next time you pass a group of teenagers, notice that many of their palms face the back. That's due to their shoulders being rounded and their chest caved in - the classic cool slump.

Yes, it's completely amazing to begin to understand how we are meant to be!

Hi KathyG

Yep, same with me. First internal exam, probably about 24 yo, it was there, and stayed that way after three births. An older midwife suggested straight after the birth of our first baby that I lie on my tummy for a couple of days and it might tip forward again as it shrinks back after the birth, but nobody followed up on it. Has anyone else had any experience with that?

I 'blossomed' around 14, did gymnastics and dancing, and had pretty good posture, but I admit that I had my belly even then, and was very self-conscious about it when everybody else had flat tummies. Not an ounce of fat on any of them! The dreaded gymnastics teacher was one for tucking the butt in too, so my poor old pelvic floor copped a hammering from the top down from very early on. Maybe during girlhood is when it happens, when you start sprouting hips and everything starts changing positions on the inside.

However, now I have a cystocele, with the bladder sagging back, the uterus is tipped forward. Ironic, isn't it?

Cheers

Louise