When you’re about to have a baby, any deviation from the “standard” pregnancy can be scary.

One thing that might sound scary, but is actually completely normal? Retroverted uterus. Also known as a tilted uterus, this is a common condition – around 1 in 5 pregnant women have a retroverted uterus.

“A retroverted uterus has no impact on pregnancy diagnosis or outcomes; it’s just a variant of normal,” says Layan Alrahmani, MD, an ob/gyn, maternal-fetal medicine specialist and member of BabyCenter’s medical advisory board.

What is a retroverted uterus?

A retroverted uterus is one that tilts backward (toward the spine) instead of forward (toward the navel). It is also called tilted uterus, tilted uterus, tilted cervix or inverted uterus.

A tilted uterus is quite normal, just not as common as a uterus that tilts forward. About 20% of women have a tip of the uterus.

I had a tilted uterus in all my pregnancies. They never said it was a problem, it was just harder to see the baby in the first trimester.

– BabyCenter Community Member Colleenrw818

What causes a retroverted uterus?

Some women are born with a tilted uterus. Others have a tilted uterus as a result of:

• Scars. The uterus can be pulled back or retained due to scar tissue resulting from endometriosis, infection, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), or pelvic surgery (including a previous cesarean delivery).
• An enlarged uterus, due to a tumor or fibroid, or a previous pregnancy, can tilt backwards.
• Weak pelvic muscles. After childbirth or menopause, the uterus can tilt backwards because the ligaments that support it are weakened.

What are the symptoms of a retroverted uterus?

Although most women have no symptoms, a retroverted uterus can cause:

• Menstrual pain or cramps
• Pain during sex
• Minor urinary incontinence or bladder pressure
• Recurrent UTIs

You will know if you have a retroverted uterus when your caregiver performs a pelvic exam. Ultrasound can confirm the correct position.

Can I get pregnant with a retroverted uterus?

Yes, you can get pregnant with a retroverted uterus. In fact, a retroverted uterus has no effect on your ability to get pregnant.

However, if your retroverted uterus is the result of a condition such as PID, fibroids, or endometriosis, any of these can affect your fertility.

How will a retroverted uterus affect my pregnancy?

A retroverted uterus is unlikely to affect your pregnancy in any way.

However, it is possible that a retroverted uterus can cause:

• Back pain. It makes sense that you can have back pain if your uterus is putting pressure on your spine. But many pregnant women have back pain regardless of the position of the uterus, and there is no scientific evidence that a retroverted uterus will make back pain worse.
• Difficulty finding the baby during ultrasound. Ultrasound of a retroverted uterus can be difficult because the baby is just a little further along. If this is the case, a transvaginal ultrasound (done through the vagina with a specially designed wand) will get a better picture of them.

“I had a tilted uterus during all my pregnancies,” she says BabyCenter Community member Colleenrw818. “They never said it was a problem, it just made it harder to see the baby in the first trimester.”

These potential problems will likely disappear after the first trimester, as your uterus grows into your belly and straightens up.

Very rarely, the uterus can get stuck in the pelvis. This is called a closed uterus and increases the risk of miscarriage. Depending on when the condition is diagnosed, your caregiver may try to pull your uterus out. A closed uterus occurs in only one out of every 3,000 to 10,000 pregnancies.

Will a retroverted uterus affect labor and delivery?

Having a tilted uterus will most likely not affect your labor and delivery. Although there is speculation that a retroverted uterus will increase the risk of childbirth, there is no scientific evidence to support this.

After your baby is born, your uterus may return to a retroverted position or it may settle into a different position. It depends on how much weight you gained during pregnancy and how much your ligaments stretched. Whatever position it finds itself in, it is unlikely to cause problems after delivery or in future pregnancies.