A uterine polyp is a benign bulge of the endometrium (the inner lining of the uterus) and is not always noticed. However, uterine polyps can cause painful, prolonged and heavy periods. This monthly recurring problem due to the presence of uterine polyps can significantly affect the quality of life. Other uterine polyp symptoms include intermittent bleeding, that is, bleeding at unexpected times, between normal menstrual periods, and bloody discharge after intercourse. A uterine polyp is rare after menopause. A uterine polyp can often be removed during a diagnostic hysteroscopy, in which the gynecologist uses a viewing tube (hysteroscope) to look at the inside of the uterus through the vagina. The prognosis is favorable. A recurrence does not occur often.
- What is a uterine polyp?
- Cause of a uterine polyp
- Who is affected?
- Risk factors
- Complications
- Uterine polyp symptoms
- Phenomena
- Irregular or unpredictable periods
- Examination and diagnosis
- Treating uterine polyps
- Hysteroscopy
- Mini-shaver technique for uterine polyps
- Prognosis
What is a uterine polyp?
Uterine polyps are benign bulges of the uterine lining or endometrium, the covering layer of the inside of the uterus (the organ in which a fetus develops). Uterine polyps are formed due to the excessive growth of endometrial tissue. Polyps in the uterus are often grape-shaped and can reach a diameter of about 2 cm or sometimes even larger. One or more polyps may be present. Uterine polyps are usually benign, but can cause menstrual problems and in about 1 in 20 cases they can become malignant. Polyps can sometimes be a precursor to cancer. Although there is no scientific evidence that a uterine polyp can lead to infertility, a woman’s fertility may increase again after the removal of one or more uterine polyps.
Difference between uterine polyp and fibroid
A uterine polyp is very similar to a fibroid, which is also a growth in the uterus. The difference is that a fibroid is composed of muscle tissue, while a uterine polyp is composed of mucous tissue.
Cause of a uterine polyp
Uterine polyps mainly occur in women of childbearing age and are rarely seen after menopause.
The exact cause is unknown, but fluctuations in hormone levels appear to play a role. Uterine polyps possess estrogen receptors and respond to these hormones in the same way as the lining of the uterus does.
Uterine polyp / Source: Blausen.com staff, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA-4.0)
Who is affected?
Uterine polyps mainly develop in women between the ages of 40 and 50, the stage before menopause. Uterine polyps can also occur after menopause. They are rarely seen in women who are younger than 20 years of age.
Risk factors
The risk of developing uterine polyps increases if you are overweight or obese, if you have high blood pressure (hypertension) or if a woman takes the drug tamoxifen, which is used to treat breast cancer. A family history of Lynch syndrome or Cowden syndrome is also a risk factor, as is hormone replacement therapy (HRT), prescribed to women with symptoms associated with menopause.
Complications
Uterine polyps are associated with infertility. If you suffer from uterine polyps and are unable to have children, removing the polyps may provide a solution – but there are no guarantees.
Uterine polyp symptoms
Phenomena
The symptoms of uterine polyps are the following:
- Irregular menstruation;
- Prolonged or excessive blood loss during menstruation;
- Between periods, a watery, bloody discharge may come from the vagina;
- A polyp can also cause the cervix to bleed easily, causing bloody discharge after intercourse or during pregnancy; and
- Complaints of blood loss after menopause;
- Extreme blood loss can cause anemia.
Irregular or unpredictable periods
The most common symptom of uterine polyps is irregular or unpredictable menstruation. About half of women with uterine polyps suffer from this.
Gynecological examination / Source: Olena Yakobchuk/Shutterstock.com
Examination and diagnosis
In many cases, the presence of uterine polyps will be determined by diagnostic hysteroscopy. This involves inserting a small camera into the uterus through the vagina, allowing the gynecologist to examine the inside of the uterus to see if there is anything abnormal.
Treating uterine polyps
Hysteroscopy
During a hysteroscopy, small polyps and fibroids can be removed immediately without the need for anesthesia. This is an outpatient treatment; you can go home immediately after the examination, after a cup of coffee or tea. If the examination is too painful, or if the uterine polyps are too large, the hysteroscopy is performed in the operating room. The procedure then takes place as a day case, where you can usually return home the same day.
Mini-shaver technique for uterine polyps
Nowadays, the mini-shaver technique is increasingly used to remove small fibroids and uterine polyps. The uterine cavity is filled with a saline solution through a hysteroscope (a small viewing tube), making all abnormalities such as fibroids, polyps, as well as placental remains clearly visible. With the sophisticated equipment, the doctor is able to ‘shave’ the abnormal tissue very delicately and then suck it away. The removed tissue will then be taken to the laboratory for examination. This is to determine whether it is malicious. The equipment is very narrow and has only a diameter of 5.6 mm. Removing the tissue causes little to no pain. This means that anesthesia or an epidural injection is no longer required for the treatment. This procedure is performed under local anesthesia at most.
Prognosis
Only in a small proportion of women does the polyp return.
read more
- Polyps uterus, uterine polyp: symptoms-removal
- Fibroids (myoma): symptoms, cause and treatment
- Uterine inflammation: symptoms, causes and treatment
- Uterine cancer: symptoms, cause and treatment
- Cervical polyp: symptoms, cause and treatment
