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Usage of intrauterine device (IUD) with copper requires one IUD in each horn to be effective in case of bicornuate uterus. The same practice is generally applied when using IUD with progestogen due to lack of evidence of efficacy with only one IUD.
Evidence is lacking regarding progestogen IUD usage for menorrhagia in bicornuate uterus, but a case report showed good effect with a single IUD.
Treatment is conservative, mechanical or surgical. Conservative options include behavioral modification and muscle strengthening exercises such as Kegel exercise. Pessaries are a mechanical treatment as they elevate and support the uterus. Surgical options are many and may include a hysterectomy or a uterus-sparing technique such as laparoscopic hysteropexy, sacrohysteropexy or the Manchester operation.
In the case of hysterectomy, the procedure can be accompanied by sacrocolpopexy. This is a mesh-augmented procedure in which the apex of the vagina is attached to the sacrum by a piece of medical mesh material.
A Cochrane Collaboration (2016) review found that sacral colpopexy was associated with lower risk of complications than vaginal interventions, but it was unclear what route of sacral colpopexy should be preferred. No clear conclusion could be reached regarding uterine preserving surgery versus vaginal hysterectomy for uterine prolapse. The evidence does not support use of transvaginal mesh compared to native tissue repair for apical vaginal prolapse. The use of a transvaginal mesh is associated with side effects including pain, infection, and organ perforation. According to the FDA, serious complications are "not rare". A number of class action lawsuits have been filed and settled against several manufacturers of TVM devices.
Patients with a unicornuate uterus may need special attention during pregnancy as pregnancy loss, fetal demise, premature birth, and malpresentation are more common. It is unproven that cerclage procedures are helpful.
A pregnancy in a rudimentary horn cannot be saved and needs to be removed with the horn to prevent a potentially fatal rupture of the horn and uterus.
Although it is unclear whether interventions before conception or early in pregnancy such as resection of the rudimentary horn and prophylactic cervical cerclage decidedly improve obstetrical outcomes, current practice suggests that such interventions may be helpful.
A number of twin gestations have occurred where each uterus carried its pregnancy separately. A recent example occurred on February 26, 2009, when Sarah Reinfelder of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan delivered two healthy, although seven weeks premature, infants by cesarean section at Marquette General Hospital. It is possible that the deliveries occur at different times, thus the delivery interval could be days or even weeks.
Most studies of uterine malformations are based on populations of women who have experienced a pregnancy loss and thus do not address the issue of the prevalence in the general population. A screening study by Woelfer et al. of women without a history of reproductive problems found that about 5% of women had an arcuate uterus when they defined an arcuate uterus any fundal protrusion into the cavity that had an apical angle of more than 90 degrees. Accordingly, it was the most common uterine anomaly, followed by septate uterus (3%) and bicornuate uterus (0.5%).
The occurrence of all types of paramesonephric duct abnormalities in women is estimated around 0.4%.
A bicornuate uterus is estimated to occur in 0.1-0.5% of women in the U.S.
It is possible that this figure is an underestimate, since subtle abnormalities often go undetected. Some intersex individuals whose external genitalia are perceived as being male may nonetheless have a variably shaped uterus.
Surgical intervention depends on the extent of the individual problem. With a didelphic uterus surgery is not usually recommended.
A uterine septum can be resected in a simple out-patient procedure that combines laparoscopy and hysteroscopy. This procedure greatly decreases the rate of miscarriage for women with this anomaly.
Many patients with an arcuate uterus will not experience any reproductive problems and do not require any surgery. In patients with recurrent pregnancy loss thought to be caused by an arcuate uterus hysteroscopic resection can be performed.
In the United States, uterus didelphys is reported to occur in 0.1–0.5% of women. It is difficult to know the exact occurrence of this anomaly, as it may go undetected in the absence of medical and reproductive complications.
Treatment options are rarely needed, and include exercises, a pessary, manual repositioning, and surgery.
The most important retroverted uterus treatment is done by identifying the root cause of the problem and treating it gradually. This is important as sometimes, these underlying problems can transform into something extremely challenging.
Secondly, there are some exercises which can help in this condition but usually, this does not work for severe cases and the uterus might tilt backwards again.
Laparoscopic retroverted uterus treatment is also a preferable option as this can be done easily and with fair accuracy. For any kind of help on retroverted uterus, the patient's gynecologist is the best person for initial consultation.
The preferred way of treating retroverted uterus is through highlighting and treating the underlying condition, like endometriosis, adhesions, fibroids etc.
Hormonal treatments for such underlying conditions are very common, and they tend to produce good results with time. Laparoscopic methods have also become quite common in treating retroverted uterus and they tend to be quite effective.
Other than these medical methods, there are some pelvic exercises which can help if a patient has a retroverted uterus and pregnancy is desired.
A septum can be resected with surgery. Hysteroscopic removal of a uterine septum is generally the preferred method, as the intervention is relatively minor and safe in experienced hands. A follow-up imaging study should demonstrate the removal of the septum.
Tactile cold scissor metroplasty was described as a back technique for hysteroscopic challenges that interfere with proper visualization or uterine distention
It is not considered necessary to remove a septum that has not caused problems, especially in women who are not considering pregnancy. There is controversy over whether a septum should be removed prophylactically to reduce the risk of pregnancy loss prior to a pregnancy or infertility treatment.
A 2013 review concluded that there were no studies reporting on the link between intrauterine adhesions and long-term reproductive outcome after miscarriage, while similar pregnancy outcomes were reported subsequent to surgical management (e.g. D&C), medical management or conservative management (that is, watchful waiting). There is an association between surgical intervention in the uterus and the development of intrauterine adhesions, and between intrauterine adhesions and pregnancy outcomes, but there is still no clear evidence of any method of prevention of adverse pregnancy outcomes.
In theory, the recently pregnant uterus is particularly soft under the influence of hormones and hence, easily injured. D&C (including dilation and curettage, dilation and evacuation/suction curettage and manual vacuum aspiration) is a blind, invasive procedure, making it difficult to avoid endometrial trauma. Medical alternatives to D&C for evacuation of retained placenta/products of conception exist including misoprostol and mifepristone. Studies show this less invasive and cheaper method to be an efficacious, safe and an acceptable alternative to surgical management for most women. It was suggested as early as in 1993 that the incidence of IUA might be lower following medical evacuation (e.g. Misoprostol) of the uterus, thus avoiding any intrauterine instrumentation. So far, one study supports this proposal, showing that women who were treated for missed miscarriage with misoprostol did not develop IUA, while 7.7% of those undergoing D&C did. The advantage of misoprostol is that it can be used for evacuation not only following miscarriage, but also following birth for retained placenta or hemorrhaging.
Alternatively, D&C could be performed under ultrasound guidance rather than as a blind procedure. This would enable the surgeon to end scraping the lining when all retained tissue has been removed, avoiding injury.
Early monitoring during pregnancy to identify miscarriage can prevent the development of, or as the case may be, the recurrence of AS, as the longer the period after fetal death following D&C, the more likely adhesions may be to occur. Therefore, immediate evacuation following fetal death may prevent IUA.
The use of hysteroscopic surgery instead of D&C to remove retained products of conception or placenta is another alternative that could theoretically improve future pregnancy outcomes, although it could be less effective if tissue is abundant. Also, hysteroscopy is not a widely or routinely used technique and requires expertise.
There is no data to indicate that suction D&C is less likely than sharp curette to result in Asherman's. A recent article describes three cases of women who developed intrauterine adhesions following manual vacuum aspiration.
The first line of therapy after diagnosis typically involves the administration of the combined oral contraceptive pill, medroxyprogesterone acetate or a gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist to suppress menstruation and thereby relieve pain. Surgically, cervical agenesis has historically been treated through hysterectomy (removal of the uterus) to relieve symptoms caused by hematocolpos (the accumulation of menstrual fluid in the vagina). Other surgical methods of management involve the creation of an anastomotic connection between the uterus and vagina by neovaginoplasty or recanalization of the cervix. Outcomes in these cases are generally poor, since the natural functions of the cervix—such as mucus production and providing a barrier against ascending infection—cannot be replicated. Furthermore, the success rate of uterovaginal anastomosis is less than 50% and most patients require multiple surgeries while many develop cervical stenotis. Despite this, several pregnancies have been reported in women with cervical agenesis who underwent surgical treatment.
A simple cruciate incision followed by excision of tags of hymen allows drainage of the retained menstrual blood. A thicker transverse vaginal septum can be treated with Z-plasty. A blind vagina will require a partial or complete vaginoplasty. Hematosalpinx may require laprotomy or laparoscopy for removal and reconstruction of affected tube.
Infertility may require assisted reproductive techniques.
Most studies are based on populations of women who have experienced a pregnancy loss and thus do not address the issue of the prevalence in the general population. A screening study by Woelfer et al. of women without a history of reproductive problems found that about 3% of women had a uterine septation; the most common anomaly in their study was an arcuate uterus (5%), while 0.5% were found to have a bicornuate uterus. In contrast, in about 15% of patients with recurrent pregnancy loss anatomical problems are thought to be causative with the septate uterus as the most common finding.
Women with the condition may be asymptomatic and unaware of having a uniconuate uterus; normal pregnancy may occur. In a review of the literature Reichman et al. analyzed the data on pregnancy outcome of 290 women with a unicornuate uterus. 175 women had conceived for a total of 468 pregnancies. They found that about 50% of patients delivered a live baby. The rates for ectopic pregnancy was 2.7%, for miscarriage 34%, and for preterm delivery 20%, while the intrauterine demise rate was 10%. Thus patients with a unicornuate uterus are at a higher risk for pregnancy loss and obstetrical complications.
Fertility may sometimes be restored by removal of adhesions, depending on the severity of the initial trauma and other individual patient factors. Operative hysteroscopy is used for visual inspection of the uterine cavity during adhesion dissection (adhesiolysis). However, hysteroscopy is yet to become a routine gynaecological procedure and only 15% of US gynecologists perform office hysteroscopy {Isaacson, 2002}. Adhesion dissection can be technically difficult and must be performed with care in order to not create new scars and further exacerbate the condition. In more severe cases, adjunctive measures such as laparoscopy are used in conjunction with hysteroscopy as a protective measure against uterine perforation. Microscissors are usually used to cut adhesions. Electrocauterization is not recommended.
As IUA frequently reform after surgery, techniques have been developed to prevent recurrence of adhesions. Methods to prevent adhesion reformation include the use of mechanical barriers (Foley catheter, saline-filled Cook Medical Balloon Uterine Stent, IUCD) and gel barriers (Seprafilm, Spraygel, autocrosslinked hyaluronic acid gel Hyalobarrier) to maintain opposing walls apart during healing {Tsapanos, 2002}; {Guida, 2004};{Abbott, 2004}, thereby preventing the reformation of adhesions. Antibiotic prophylaxis is necessary in the presence of mechanical barriers to reduce the risk of possible infections. A common pharmacological method for preventing reformation of adhesions is sequential hormonal therapy with estrogen followed by a progestin to stimulate endometrial growth and prevent opposing walls from fusing together {Roge, 1996}. However, there have been no randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing post-surgical adhesion reformation with and without hormonal treatment and the ideal dosing regimen or length of estrogen therapy is not known. The absence of prospective RCTs comparing treatment methods makes it difficult to recommend optimal treatment protocols. Furthermore, diagnostic severity and outcomes are assessed according to different criteria (e.g. menstrual pattern, adhesion reformation rate, conception rate, live birth rate). Clearly, more comparable studies are needed in which reproductive outcome can be analysed systematically.
Follow-up tests (HSG, hysteroscopy or SHG) are necessary to ensure that adhesions have not reformed. Further surgery may be necessary to restore a normal uterine cavity.
According to a recent study among 61 patients, the overall rate of adhesion recurrence was 27.9% and in severe cases this was 41.9%. Another study found that postoperative adhesions reoccur in close to 50% of severe AS and in 21.6% of moederate cases. Mild IUA, unlike moderate to severe synechiae, do not appear to reform.
The prevalence of uterine malformation is estimated to be 6.7% in the general population, slightly higher (7.3%) in the infertility population, and significantly higher in a population of women with a history of recurrent miscarriages (16%).
Cervical agenesis is estimated to occur in 1 in 80,000 females. It is often associated with deformity of the vagina; one study found that 48% of patients with cervical agenesis had a normal, functional vagina, while the rest of the cases were accompanied by vaginal hypoplasia.
Rarely, a sharply tilted uterus is due to a disease such as endometriosis, an infection or prior surgery. Although this may make it more challenging for the sperm to reach the egg, conception can still occur. A tipped uterus will usually right itself during the 10th to 12th week of pregnancy. Rarely (1 in 3000 to 8000 pregnancies) a tipped uterus will cause painful and difficult urination, and can cause severe urinary retention. Treatment for this condition (called "incarcerated uterus") includes manual anteversion of the uterus, and usually requires intermittent or continuous catheter drainage of the bladder until the problem is rectified or spontaneously resolves by the natural enlargement of the uterus, which brings it out of the tipped position. In addition to manual anteversion and bladder drainage, treatment of urinary retention due to retroverted uterus can require the use of a pessary, or even surgery, but often is as simple as having the pregnant mother sleep on her stomach for a day or two, to allow the retroverted uterus to move forward.
If a uterus does not right itself, it may be labeled "persistent".
Hematometra is usually treated by surgical cervical dilation to drain the blood from the uterus. Other treatments target the underlying cause of the hematometra; for example, a hysteroscopy may be required to resect adhesions that have developed following a previous surgery. If the cause of the hematometra is unclear, a biopsy of endometrial tissue can be taken to test for the presence of a neoplasm (cancer). Antibiotics may be given as prophylaxis against the possibility of infection.
Uterine prolapse is a form of female genital prolapse. It is also called pelvic organ prolapse or prolapse of the uterus (womb).
Risk factors for uterine prolapse include pregnancy, childbirth, chronic increases in intra-abdominal pressure such as lifting, coughing or straining, connective tissue conditions, and damage to or weakness of the muscles.
Treatment may be conservative or surgical and should be based upon patient symptoms and preference.
There are several methods of treatment for individuals with vaginal atresia. The first method of treatment that is recommended would be self-dilation of the vagina. A doctor may first recommend that the patient first attempts to create a vagina themselves through the process self-dilation. The self dilation technique consists of using vaginal dilators, which are small round tubes that vary in size and are similar in size and shape to tampons. Vaginal dilators may be pressed alongside the vaginal area on a regular basis in order to further open the vaginal canal. Frank's procedure is a technique that used a progressive series of vaginal dilators that are inserted into the dimple of the vagina while using pressure. This will widen any space that exists between the bladder and the rectum. Frank's procedure can be performed directly by the patient, therefore requiring no surgery or anesthesia. The procedure/technique can take months to complete, with regular compliance necessary. The overall success rate for females who use Frank's procedure is 80%. If this procedure does not work, then surgery would be the next method of treatment. Another alternative form of treatment would be surgery, or the creation of a new vagina.
Fertility options for girls and women with Rokitansky-Mayer-Küster-Hauser syndrome has a bit more information. Girls and women who are born without a complete vagina, but still have a regular sized uterus more than likely will be able to become pregnant and have a baby. However, if the female is born with a tiny uterus, or without a uterus, they will not be able to have a baby. As the ovaries may be normal in this case, the egg may be fertilized with a donor's or partner's sperm. In this case, surrogacy, would be an option where there will be a gestational carrier to carry the pregnancy for the couple. Adoption may also be an option for females with Rokitansky-Mayer-Küster-Hauser syndrome. Another possibility could be uterine transplants, however this a new and developing form of treatment. Fertility options are being researched daily, so there can always be a new method available.
Any pain associated with Rokitansky-Mayer-Küster-Hauser syndrome comes from menstruation related cramping and can be treated with several ways. Individuals with this syndrome may be born with a uterine remnant (tiny uterus), which can fill with become filled with blood in the pelvic cavity causing pain. A medical professional can assess the severity of having a uterine remnant within each patient to determine if removal of the uterus is necessary.
Hydatidiform moles should be treated by evacuating the uterus by uterine suction or by surgical curettage as soon as possible after diagnosis, in order to avoid the risks of choriocarcinoma. Patients are followed up until their serum human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) level has fallen to an undetectable level. Invasive or metastatic moles (cancer) may require chemotherapy and often respond well to methotrexate. As they contain paternal antigens, the response to treatment is nearly 100%. Patients are advised not to conceive for half a year after hCG levels have normalized. The chances of having another molar pregnancy are approximately 1%.
Management is more complicated when the mole occurs together with one or more normal fetuses.