Endometrial Polyps - Uterine Polyps

What is Endometrial Polyps?

Endometrial polyps are an excess growth of tissue on the uterine lining. Small polyps generally do not interfere with your reproductive abilities. However, if they become large or there are multiple polyps present, they can impede conception and may increase your risk of miscarriage.

While it is rare for a woman under the age of 20 to develop endometrial polyps, your risk factor increases with age until you start menopause. Irregular bleeding is the most common symptom of endometrial polyps. Women with this type of polyps can have very heavy bleeding during their period, experience spotting between periods or breakthrough bleeding during hormone therapy. In fact, it is estimated that as much as 25% of all unusual bleeding in women is due to endometrial polyps.

Causes of Endometrial Polyps

No definitive cause of uterine polyps, hormonal factors appear to play a role. Uterine polyps are estrogen-sensitive, meaning that they respond to estrogen in the same way that the lining of your uterus (endometrium) does - growing in response to circulating estrogen

Symptoms of Endometrial Polyps

Sometimes symptoms to not occur. Often, symptoms do not occur when the polyps are small. When symptoms do occur, the most common symptoms are:

• bleeding during hormonal therapy
• pelvic cramps
• spotting between menstrual periods
• heavy or prolonged menstrual periods

Treatment of Endometrial Polyps

Possible treatments for Endometrial Polyps include:

• Surgical removal - If you undergo hysteroscopy, special instruments inserted through the hysteroscope -the device your doctor uses to see inside your uterus - make it possible to cut away and remove any polyps once they're identified. The removed polyp may be sent to a laboratory for microscopic examination.
• Hysterectomy - If closer examination reveals that your uterine polyps contain cancerous cells, surgery to remove your uterus (hysterectomy) becomes necessary.

Other Treatment

They can be removed by a procedure called Dilation and Curettage, ("D&C"), which involves scraping with a blunt instrument and tearing (or "avulsing") with polyp forceps.