Understanding the Link Between Infertility and Infantile Uterus

Infantile uterus is a condition characterized by congenital uterine underdevelopment and malformation. What are its features?

The Relationship between Infertility and Infantile Uterus

Normally, a healthy uterus has an inverted pear shape, with the cervix at the top and the body at the bottom. In adult females, the body occupies 2/3 of the uterus, while the cervix takes up 1/3. However, in a child’s uterus before menstruation, the proportions are reversed, with the body occupying 1/3 and the cervix 2/3.

If, in adulthood, the proportions remain imbalanced with the body still occupying 1/3 and the cervix 2/3, the uterus takes on a shape reminiscent of a child’s uterus, and this is referred to as an infantile uterus.

An infantile uterus not only exhibits abnormal external appearance but also has a smaller uterine cavity volume, which can lead to infertility, recurrent miscarriages, ectopic pregnancies, biochemical pregnancies, and other issues.

Diagnosis can be confirmed through dynamic digital uterine tubal combined with B-ultrasound morphology or hysteroscopy.

Many doctors do not pay enough attention to the proportion of the uterus, leading to the possibility of overlooking this diagnosis. Some patients experience repeated miscarriages, and we discover an infantile uterus. Even after undergoing numerous tests, including MRI, a definitive diagnosis may still be challenging due to doctors’ limited experience, particularly in interpreting imaging results.

For this condition, treatment cannot involve major surface surgeries or open abdominal procedures. Instead, we use hysteroscopy to expand the abnormal cervix (pre-treatment state) to form part of the uterine body.

The surgery is complex, but with the use of 3D laparoscopy, we can place a biodegradable pear-shaped scaffold to restore the uterus to its normal shape.

However, not all doctors can perform this treatment, as improper handling may result in uterine perforation and severe life-threatening bleeding, given the involvement of uterine arteries and major blood vessels at the surgical site. Thus, comprehensive anatomical familiarity, technical expertise, and advanced equipment are prerequisites for the surgery. The procedure must be carried out using 3D laparoscopy.

After the surgery, a pear-shaped scaffold is placed to reshape the uterus and restore its normal form. This treatment enables natural pregnancy for infertility, prevents recurrent miscarriages, ensures successful embryo retention, and eliminates biochemical pregnancies and ectopic pregnancies. If such problems recur, there may be other underlying reasons.

Infantile uterine malformation might be associated with other anomalies, such as septum, cervical incompetence, and variations in the depth of the uterine corners. We correct these conditions during the surgery as well. Post-surgery, follow-up includes hysteroscopy and dynamic digital uterine imaging, and Beijing Antai Hospital offers contract-based treatment to ensure treatment effectiveness.

Our treatment goal is to enable patients to achieve normal fertility. We want to remind everyone that for these types of uterine malformations, in vitro fertilization (IVF) is not recommended due to the abnormal uterine shape. Even if embryo implantation occurs, miscarriages may happen at different stages, including early and late miscarriages or even premature birth. Therefore, the risks associated with using IVF outweigh the potential benefits and may lead to unsatisfactory results.

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