Q: My sister has been married for the last 3 years and is childless. The gynaecologist she consulted said that she has a retroverted uterus and no other problem. Her husband's sperm analysis is normal. Is having a retroverted uterus a disorder or is it curable?

A:The term retroverted describes a uterus that is tilted back towards the spinal column, rather than the more usual position, which is upright or slightly forward (you can check this in an anatomy textbook). There is no strong evidence that having a retroverted uterus is a barrier or prevents getting pregnant though it is possible that simple mechanical positioning of the woman's pelvis after sexual intercourse might be helpful - by immediately raising the hips on one or two pillows, so that the semen can run down towards the cervix. It may be necessary to check whether the fallopian tubes are open so that the eggs can get through to the uterus.