Can a Tilted Cervix Cause Infertility?

A tilted cervix, caused by a tilted or tipped uterus, does not in itself cause issues with infertility or natural conception. However, it has been found to cause a greater difficulty for infertility specialists to inseminate a female who has a tilted cervix. The process by which the infertility specialist uses for intrauterine insemination or for in vitro fertilization is somewhat hindered by the tilted cervix. This does not cause complete infertility, but does make assisted reproductive techniques for infertility more challenging (but not impossible).

Tilted Cervix and Causes of Infertility

As previously mentioned, a tilted cervix or a tilted uterus does not necessarily cause infertility; they can cause challenges with becoming pregnant because for some women with a tilted uterus, intercourse can be painful. This is known as dyspareunia, which is characterized by pain when your partner's penis hits the cervix.

If you have tried different positions and still have painful intercourse, your infertility specialist may recommend a pessary. A pessary is simply a silicone or plastic ring inserted in the vagina. This takes away some of the intercourse pain for the woman, however, some men report the placement of the pessary causes them penile pain. Placement of a pessary can also lead to infections of the vagina, such as yeast and urinary tract infections.

Causes of Tipped Uterus

A simple pelvic exam conducted by your gynecologist can tell you if you have a tilted cervix and/or tilted uterus. You may be born with this condition, and you may have had this condition your entire life with no symptoms until you tried to conceive.
 
A tilted uterus does not always cause a tilted cervix. A tilted uterus, just as a tilted cervix does not ‘on it’s own’ cause infertility either. A tilted cervix is not a disease, but is considered more of a situation. It can be congenital or could be the result of a disease or even from a the labor and delivery of a previous child.

About the Uterus and Cervix

The uterus is normally in a straight up and down position. With a tilted uterus or tipped uterus, the uterus is tipped either forward or backward. The cervix becomes tilted due to it being connected to the uterus. When the uterus is out of alignment, the cervix often will be as well.
 
If you have a tilted cervix caused by a tipped, tilted, or also known as retroverted uterus, these conditions will not cause true infertiity. These conditions can make for a difficult conception, but pregnancy is still possible barring any other infertility-causing issues you may have. Trying different sexual positions, use of a pessary and other interventions your infertility specialists suggest can lead you to a happy and healthy pregnancy.

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