State of the Uterus

Earlier this month, I started seeing a reproductive endocrinologist. Our initial appointment was a consultation where we discussed possible reasons why I’ve haven’t been able to get and stay pregnant and various tests we could do to diagnose problems.

He told us the first test would be a saline-infused sonogram. When you have a normal ultrasound when you’re not pregnant, the walls of your uterus are so close together, you can’t get a full picture of your uterus. You can’t see if there are problems with the endometrium (the lining of your uterus), if there may be scar tissue or a septum or other issues that might make it difficult for someone to get/stay pregnant. So with a SIS, a doctor shoots saline solution into your uterus to push the walls apart so they can get a clearer picture of your entire uterus.

I had my SIS a couple of weeks ago. The doctor initially didn’t think there would be much to see, but as the procedure progressed, it became clear there is something in my uterus and that it very likely is making it difficult for me to have a baby. In particular, it looks like I have an adhesion that attaches the front and back walls of my uterus, and there is either scar tissue or possibly even inert retained tissue from my miscarriage in July along the top of my uterus.

The solution is surgery, which I will be having tomorrow afternoon. The doctor will be going into my uterus with a camera to see what exactly is going on in there and then will be removing whatever it is causing the problems. I’ll get before and after shots of my ute, which I think is pretty flipping cool. Depending on the severity, I may have to take hormones to help rebuild the endometrium and possibly a balloon catheter that will stay in my uterus for a couple of weeks to keep the walls from touching and prevent more scar tissue from forming. The doctor won’t know what will be called for until he gets in and sees how bad it is.

If the surgery is pretty minor, we could be cleared to TTC again pretty quickly, as soon as my next cycle. If it’s more major, I’ll have to have to another SIS, and the doctor will have to evaluate whether more surgery might be needed. So fingers crossed that the damage is minor, that I can avoid the balloon catheter and the risk for more scar tissue, and that everything will heal up and I’ll have a healthy, habitable uterus in a few weeks. And hopefully this is the problem, and after this, we’re done with fertility treatments and a healthy pregnancy will quickly follow.