What is Asherman Syndrome ?

September 7, 2023March 27, 2024 Reviewed by Dr Hameed Ibrahim Khokar

Originally posted 2021-09-29 07:27:48.

Asherman syndrome has a rare complication occurring after a woman has undergone a surgical procedure, such as D&C, that damages the uterine lining.

The condition causes scarring that develops in the uterine cavity. This increases the likelihood when a woman has a miscarriage or result in problems conceiving in the future.

Asherman syndrome may not occur often. But when it does, doctors often treat the condition with surgery to remove the scarred areas of tissue inside of the uterus.

As a doctor surgically removes the scar tissue, they leave a balloon inside the uterus. The balloon would help the uterus to stay open so it could be healed. When the uterus has healed, the doctor removes the balloon.

The outlook for fertility following abortion

Based on ACOG, having an abortion doesn’t affect your ability to get pregnant in the future. This does not increase the risks for pregnancy complications when you choose to get pregnant again.

Several doctors suggest using some type of birth control immediately after abortion, as it’s possible a woman can get pregnant again when she starts ovulating.

Doctors usually recommend the woman refrain from sexual intercourse for a certain time after an abortion to allow the body to heal.

When you have difficulty in getting pregnant after an abortion, consider some other factors that potentially affect your fertility, since the past abortion may not cause problems in conceiving. These type of factors also affect the fertility:

Your Age

When you age, your fertility decreases. This is true for women older than 35 years based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)Trusted Source.

Your Lifestyle habits

Lifestyle habits like smoking and drug use affect your fertility. This is true for your partner.

Your Medical history

When you have a history of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) like chlamydia or gonorrhoea it could affect your fertility. It is true for chronic diseases like diabetes, autoimmune disorders, and hormonal disorders.

Your Partner’s fertility

The quality of semen affects a woman’s ability to get pregnant. Although you have gotten pregnant with the same partner in the past, lifestyle habits and ageing affects your partner’s fertility.

When you are experiencing problems getting pregnant, talk to your gynaecologist. They would advise you on lifestyle steps and also recommend a fertility specialist who can guide you to identify underlying causes and possible treatment options.