No doubt you eagerly picture your little one snuggled up in your womb, sucking his thumb or resting his chin against his hand.

But if you’re among the 20 percent of women who has a tilted uterus, you need to slightly adjust that picture so your baby is reclining backwards.

So what is a tilted uterus (also called retroverted or tipped uterus), and how does it affect your pregnancy, baby and chances of conceiving?

What does it mean when you have a tilted uterus?

Before getting pregnant and in the early weeks of pregnancy, your uterus sits between two bones: your sacrum (the large bone in the middle of your pelvis, at the base of your spine) and the pubic symphysis (a pelvic joint located above your vulva).

Most uteruses develop leaning forwards towards your navel. But if you have a tilted uterus, also known as a retroverted, retroflexed or tipped uterus, it has naturally grown with a backwards tilt towards your spine.[1]

This condition is not an abnormality or a medical problem — physicians simply refer to it as a "normal anatomical variance" (it’s comparable to having a second toe that’s longer than your first).

Many women who have a tilted uterus aren’t even aware of it, and it has no impact on the health of your pregnancy or baby.

Can I get pregnant if I have a tilted uterus?

A tilted uterus has absolutely no impact on your ability to conceive or how fast you'll get pregnant.

In fact, very few anatomical characteristics would impact your ability to become pregnant. Those issues could include scar tissue in your uterus, which can be the result of a previous pelvic infection, or scar tissue around your fallopian tubes.[2]

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What are the symptoms of a tilted uterus?

You won’t notice any symptoms of a tilted uterus before you get pregnant. However there are few symptoms you may observe in the first trimester of pregnancy:

  • Back pain. It’s possible that a tipped uterus can cause more back pain, though that’s a common symptom in every pregnancy.
  • Difficulty emptying your bladder. Some doctors say that in very rare cases, if your growing uterus is tilted very far backwards during pregnancy it could push against your bladder, making it difficult to empty. You may find relief by taking a tip from your uterus: Lean backwards when you’re peeing, which can shift your uterus off your bladder and relieve any pressure. (If you’re still extremely uncomfortable or have a very hard time going, your practitioner may be able to manipulate your uterus manually to make it easier for you to go.)
  • A harder time locating your baby. There’s a small chance your doctor may have trouble finding your baby with a transabdominal ultrasound, the type where the wand is moved over your abdomen. This simply means your little one is a bit farther away from those trying to get a peek at him — but it’s not a problem. Instead, your doctor may use a transvaginal ultrasound (inserting an ultrasound wand through the upper part of your vagina) to get a better look.

The good news: Any negative impact of a tilted uterus will go away by the second trimester of pregnancy without you doing a thing.

As your baby grows in the first trimester, your uterus expands in the pelvic cavity — but by 12 to 13 weeks, your uterus pops up out of your pelvis and into your abdomen to accommodate your growing baby. At this point, a tipped uterus nearly always rights itself upwards.

Are there any risk factors of a tipped uterus during pregnancy?

If you find you’re having trouble emptying your bladder in the first trimester, you can be at risk for a urinary tract infection (UTI), since the urine pools in one place and becomes an easy target for bacteria.

So watch out for other UTI symptoms, including pain or a burning feeling while urinating, or pressure or pain low in your stomach — and make sure to let your doctor know so she treat you with pregnancy-safe antibiotics.

How will a tilted uterus affect my baby's birth?

While some women wonder if having a tilted uterus can cause childbirth complications or result in a C-section, it's highly unlikely. After the first trimester, your uterus will have grown so large that it won't be tilted one way or another.

In very rare circumstances, a tipped uterus may cause an incarcerated uterus (when your uterus becomes trapped in your pelvis instead of popping up into your abdomen as it grows) — but the chances of that occurring are extremely small, 1 in 3,000 to 10,000 pregnancies.[3]

What happens to my uterus after I give birth?

After you give birth, the position your uterus settles into will depend on several factors, including how much your ligaments have stretched during pregnancy or how much weight you gained (added weight puts pressure on your uterus and can affect its postpartum position).

But even if your uterus returns to its retroverted position, it will most likely have no impact on you or your future pregnancies.