The uterus, or womb, is an important female reproductive organ. It is the place where a baby grows when a woman is pregnant. If you have a uterine disease, the first sign may be bleeding between periods or after sex. Causes of abnormal bleeding include hormones, thyroid problems, fibroids, polyps, cancer, infection or pregnancy.
Treatment depends on the cause. Sometimes birth control pills treat hormonal imbalances. If a thyroid problem is the cause, treating it may also stop the bleeding. If you have cancer or hyperplasia, an overgrowth of normal cells in the uterus, you may need surgery.
Other uterine problems are endometriosis and adenomyosis. In endometriosis, the kind of tissue that lines the uterus grows outside the uterus. With adenomyosis, the tissue grows in the uterus's outer walls. Pain medicine may help; other treatments include hormones and surgery.
- Recognizing Problems in Your Uterus(National Women's Health Information Center) - http://womenshealth.gov/pub/2007daybook/uterus/
-
Diagnostic Laparoscopy(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/laparoscopy/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/laparoscopyspanish/htm/index.htm
-
Hysteroscopy(American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) - http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/bp084.cfm
Also available in Spanish http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/sp084.cfm
- Saline Infusion Sonohysterography(American Society for Reproductive Medicine) - Links to PDF - http://www.asrm.org/Patients/FactSheets/SHG.pdf
-
Ultrasound - Pelvis(American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) - http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=pelvus
Also available in Spanish http://www.radiologyinfo.org/sp/info.cfm?pg=pelvus
- D&C for Uterine Bleeding Problems(American College of Surgeons) - Links to PDF - http://www.facs.org/public_info/operation/brochures/dncbleed.pdf
-
Dilation and Curettage(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/dilatationandcurettage/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/dilatationandcurettagespanish/htm/index.htm
- Endometrial Ablation(American Society for Reproductive Medicine) - Links to PDF - http://www.asrm.org/Patients/FactSheets/endoablation.pdf
-
Treatment Options for Dysfunctional Uterine Bleeding(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/women/reproductive/menstrual/908.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/women/reproductive/menstrual/908.printerview.html
-
Abnormal Uterine Bleeding(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/women/reproductive/menstrual/470.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/women/reproductive/menstrual/470.printerview.html
- Adenomyosis(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/Adenomyosis/DS00636/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
- Cervicitis(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/cervicitis/DS00518/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
- Double Uterus(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/double-uterus/DS00821/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
- Endometrial Hyperplasia(American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) - http://www.medem.com/MedLB/article_detaillb.cfm?article_ID=ZZZ7Z2GWQMC&sub_cat=9
- Uterine Polyps(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/uterine-polyps/DS00699/METHOD=print&DSECTION=all
-
Vaginal Pessary(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/women/reproductive/gynecologic/578.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/women/reproductive/gynecologic/578.printerview.html
-
Diagnostic Laparoscopy(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/laparoscopy/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/laparoscopyspanish/htm/index.htm
-
Dilation and Curettage(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/dilatationandcurettage/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/dilatationandcurettagespanish/htm/index.htm
- Description of the Uterus(National Uterine Fibroids Foundation) - http://www.nuff.org/health_theuterus.htm
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Uterine Diseases(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Uterine+Diseases%22
- Article: Factors associated with symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction six years... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18720035&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: A randomised comparison of vaginoscopic office hysteroscopy and saline infusion... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18715407&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: A randomised controlled trial comparing GnRH antagonist cetrorelix with GnRH... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18715405&tool=MedlinePlus
- Uterine Diseases -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=uterine+diseases[majr]+NOT+(uterine+cervical+diseases[majr]+OR+uterine+neoplasms[majr])+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+(jsubsetk[text]+OR+review[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+clinical+trial[pt]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt])+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Cervical diseases -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=uterine+cervical+diseases[majr]+NOT+uterine+cervical+neoplasms[majr]+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- ACOG's Physician Directory(American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) - http://www.acog.org/member-lookup/disclaimer.cfm
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists - http://www.acog.org/
-
National Women's Health Information Center(Dept. of Health and Human Services) - http://womenshealth.gov/
Also available in Spanish http://womenshealth.gov/espanol/
- Cervical Cancer - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/cervicalcancer.html
- Endometriosis - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/endometriosis.html
- Hysterectomy - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/hysterectomy.html
- Pelvic Support Problems - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/pelvicsupportproblems.html
- Uterine Cancer - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/uterinecancer.html
- Uterine Fibroids - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/uterinefibroids.html
- Female Reproductive System - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/femalereproductivesystem.html
- Women - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/women.html