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Uterine Polyps
Can Cause Infertility or
Miscarriage
Advanced
Fertility Center of Chicago
Gurnee & Crystal Lake, Illinois
Our IVF Success Rates
Our IVF with Donor Eggs Success Rates
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A "normal" uterine
cavity and endometrial lining is
necessary in order to conceive and maintain a pregnancy. Uterine
polyps can
sometimes cause problems with infertility - or with recurrent miscarriages.
A polyp is an
overgrowth of tissue in the lining of the uterus - somewhat similar to a wart,
or a skin tag. Many of them are small and do not represent any compromise to
reproductive capabilities. However, large polyps - or multiple polyps - can
interfere with reproduction.
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The image on the left is an ultrasound of a uterus with polyps in the endometrial lining.
They can not be delineated because they are hidden in the normal endometrial tissue. The image on the right shows a close-up of the same
uterus with sterile salt water injected into the uterine cavity (hydrosonography). The polyps are now surrounded by the water (black) and are
easily seen - one is between the cursors.
 
For comparison; ultrasound images of a uterus with a normal endometrial
lining. Image
on right shows the uterus outlined in blue and the "triple stripe" uterine lining (landing pad for the
embryos) outlined in yellow.
 
These images are hysteroscopic views of the inside of the same uterus shown above. Hysteroscopy is done by inserting a narrow scope
through the cervical opening allowing visualization of the uterine cavity. On the
left several polyps are seen. On the right is a close view of one of them. They were resected during this procedure.
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| Small polyp (P) seen inside otherwise normal uterine
cavity with office hysteroscopy |
Same polyp about to be resected with grasper (G)
using in-office hysteroscopy |
Another polyp in a
different woman - this polyp occupied about 1/2 of the entire uterine cavity
Image on right shows hysteroscopic scissors cutting the polyp to remove it
Related pages:
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