What Is a Heterogeneous Uterus?
A heterogeneous uterus is a term used to describe the appearance of the uterus after an ultrasound is conducted. It simply means that the uterus is not totally uniform in appearance during the ultrasound.
According to MedHelp, there are two common causes of a heterogeneous uterus: uterine fibroids and adenomyosis. Uterine fibroids are benign muscular growths found on the uterine wall, and adenomyosis is a proliferation of normal uterine glands into the uterus’s muscular wall.
According to ZocDoc, both of these conditions are very common, affecting nearly 50 percent of all women by the time they reach middle age. The conditions generally carry no symptoms, but they have been known to cause heavy menstruation and cramping as well as abdominal pain. Neither uterine fibroids nor adenomyosis have a prominent effect on a woman’s ability to get pregnant, but they should be discussed and properly diagnosed with an OB/GYN for the proper treatment and care.
According to WebMD, both uterine fibroids and adenomyosis show improvement with medication or through natural menopause. In many cases, the conditions are harmless and require no treatment, but in cases where the pain is severe, surgery may be performed to correct the condition. Surgery to remove the uterine fibroids or adenomyosis is generally done only when the condition is isolated to a specific area in the uterus. In cases where the majority of the uterus is affected, a hysterectomy may be performed to reduce pain and irritation from the condition.
