UTERINE FACTOR INFERTILITY
Uterine factor infertility is the general term describing infertility resulting from either an abnormality of the uterus, or a complete lack of uterus.
Generally, uterine factor infertility is classified one of two ways: congenital, which refers to something that happens before birth, and acquired, which happens through life.
HOW COMMON IS UTERINE FACTOR INFERTILITY?
Uterine factor infertility affects about 3-5% of the population and it is a a primary cause of infertility in women. It is also associated with an increase in miscarriage and pre-term delivery rates.
CONGENITAL UTERINE FACTOR INFERTILITY
Congenital abnormalities are ones that form before birth. This means that something happened during fetal development. The Mullerian ducts are the predecessors to the female reproductive system, and they form at about 10 weeks. When they don’t fuse properly, this leads to malformation of the uterus and other reproductive organs. Thus, congenital abnormalities are sometimes referred to as Mullerian anomalies.
TYPES OF MULLERIAN ANOMALIES CAN INCLUDE:
- Uterus or fallopian tubes that don’t form completely
- The entire reproductive system is duplicated
- Parts of the reproductive system are duplicated
- An indentation in the uterus
- A uterus with a fibrous band dividing it (septate uterus)
- An unusual uterus shape
- The absence of a uterus (agenesis)
ACQUIRED UTERINE FACTOR INFERTILITY
Throughout a woman’s life, there are a number of things that may happen that can affect the shape and functioning of the uterus, or may require removal of the uterus, thereby leading to infertility.
Examples include:
- Fibroids (e.g. from endometriosis)
- Scarring from earlier surgeries
- Scarring from infections
- Cancer
CAN YOU GET PREGNANT IF YOU HAVE UTERINE FACTOR INFERTILITY?
Several types of uterine factor infertility are not absolute, which means that pregnancy is still possible, though in many cases it is associated with higher risks of miscarriage, breech births, premature delivery and other risks.
The overall chance of conception and pregnancy risk may depend on the type of malformation that has occurred. If a pregnancy happens in a malformed uterus, it needs to be followed closely. For instance, ectopic pregnancy is common for those with a unicornuate uterus, and early abortions are common for those with a septate (separated) uterus.