A tilted uterus is common, normal, and usually has no effect on fertility, pregnancy, labor, or delivery. If you have any symptoms during pregnancy, they're likely to be mild and temporary. As the uterus expands and rises into the abdomen — usually by 12 to 13 weeks of pregnancy — any discomfort generally resolves on its own.
Learn what a tilted uterus is, how it changes through pregnancy, and what effects it might have.
What does it mean to have a tilted uterus?
Most uteruses naturally tilt forward towards your navel. But if you're among the 20% of women with a tilted uterus, also known as a retroverted, retroflexed, or tipped uterus, it tilts backward towards your spine.[1]
A tilted uterus is not an abnormality or a medical problem. Doctors consider it a normal anatomical variance (similar to having a second toe that’s longer than your first).
Many women who have a tilted uterus aren’t even aware of it, and it generally has no impact on the health of your pregnancy or baby.
Can I get pregnant if I have a tilted uterus?
Yes. A tilted uterus has absolutely no impact on your ability to conceive or how fast you'll get pregnant.
In fact, very few anatomical differences affect fertility. Issues that can interfere with conception are more likely to involve scar tissue in the uterus from a previous pelvic infection or scarring around the fallopian tubes.[2]
Track your symptoms with the My Journal tool in our free What to Expect app.
What are the symptoms of a tilted uterus?
Most women don't notice symptoms of a tilted uterus before pregnancy. During the first trimester, however, you may experience:
- Back pain. A tipped uterus may contribute to back pain, though this symptom is common in any pregnancy.
- Difficulty emptying your bladder. In very rare cases, a uterus that's tilted far backward may press against the bladder as it grows, making it harder to fully empty. Leaning backward slightly while urinating may help relieve pressure. If symptoms are severe, your health care practitioner may be able to manually reposition the uterus.
- A harder time locating your baby on ultrasound. There’s a small chance your practitioner may have trouble seeing your baby on a transabdominal ultrasound, the type where the wand is moved over your abdomen. This simply means your little one is positioned farther from the ultrasound probe. If needed, your practitioner may perform a transvaginal ultrasound to get a clearer view.
"It makes it very difficult to get baby in a good position for a transabdominal ultrasound," says What to Expect Community mom Lastoneseriousthistime. "Hopefully in a few weeks it will start correcting itself so I can get some normal looking pictures instead of a blob lol."
Will my tilted uterus change during pregnancy?
Yes. In fact, your uterus will likely no longer be tilted by the second trimester — which means any effects will usually go away by then.
Before pregnancy and during the early weeks of pregnancy, your uterus sits between two bones: your sacrum (the large bone in the middle of your pelvis, at the base of your spine) and the pubic symphysis (a pelvic joint located above your vulva).
As your baby grows in the first trimester, your uterus expands in the pelvic cavity. By around 12 to 13 weeks, it rises out of your pelvis and into your abdomen to accommodate your growing baby. At this point, a tipped uterus almost always straightens into a forward position.
"I have a retroverted uterus," says Community mom FTMFeb2023. "First few weeks I felt more lower back pain, but it disappeared after 12 weeks."
Are there any risks associated with a tipped uterus during pregnancy?
If you find you’re having trouble emptying your bladder in the first trimester, you may be at a slightly higher risk for a urinary tract infection (UTI), since urine can remain in the bladder longer and provide an environment for bacteria to grow.
"Mine is tilted and I had trouble with urine retention and UTIs until my uterus started to flip forward around 17 weeks," says Community mom mmorran.
Watch for symptoms of a UTI, such as:
- Pain or burning while urinating
- Pelvic pressure
- Pain low in the abdomen
Let your practitioner know if you experience these symptoms so they can prescribe pregnancy-safe treatment if needed.
How will a tilted uterus affect my baby's birth?
It's highly unlikely that a tilted uterus will affect labor or delivery or increase your chances of needing a C-section. At some point, your uterus will have grown so large that it won't be tilted one way or another.
"I have a tilted uterus and had no issues with my pregnancy. I had a normal vaginal delivery and no extra pain or anything," says Community mom ashinwv.
In very rare circumstances, a tipped uterus can lead to an incarcerated uterus (when the uterus becomes trapped in the pelvis instead of rising into the abdomen as it grows). But this complication is very uncommon, occurring in approximately 1 in 3,000 to 10,000 pregnancies.[3]
What happens to my uterus after I give birth?
After delivery, the position your uterus settles into depends on several factors, including how much your ligaments have stretched during pregnancy and how much weight you gained. (Added weight puts pressure on your uterus and can affect its postpartum position.)
Even if your uterus returns to its retroverted position postpartum, it's unlikely to affect your health or future pregnancies.
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