When menstrual blood and uterine tissue pass through the fallopian tubes and into the peritoneal cavity, it is called retrograde menstruation. Dr. John Sampson first suggested a connection between this phenomena and endometriosis in the 1920s, and this theory persisted for many years.
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How can you tell if you are having a retrograde period?
Retrograde menstruation is not frequently recognized as a separate condition. It could be diagnosed as part of an endometriosis or pelvic pain assessment. For instance, if medical professionals perform a laparoscopic inspection of the pelvis during menstruation and they notice blood, they may diagnose retrograde menstruation.
How does the retrograde period go?
Menstrual blood and uterine tissue make up the lining, which typically flows through your cervix and leaves your vagina. The process is reversed during retrograde menstruation: blood and tissue move up through your vagina into your fallopian tubes before leaving your body through your peritoneum.
Does endometriosis cause retrograde menstruation?
A chronic inflammatory disease called endometriosis is defined by the development of endometrial-like tissue outside the uterus. The condition affects about 10% of reproductive-age women, and symptoms like chronic pelvic discomfort, dyspareunia, and infertility can reduce a patient’s quality of life and productivity at work (1). Contrarily, the severity of symptoms does not always correspond with how the disease presents, and the typical diagnosis delay after the onset of symptoms is 7 years due to the unreliability of diagnostic biomarkers (2, 3). Endometriosis can be categorized as superficial (peritoneal), deep (infiltrating), or ovarian depending on the site and depth of tissue invasion. Laparoscopic viewing remains the gold standard for endometriosis diagnosis, and lesions identified may be removed or ablated for symptomatic relief. Medical procedures other than surgery can be utilized to manage pain, including analgesics, hormonal modulation/suppression using progestins, combined oral contraceptives, and Gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) modulators. While there may be a temporary improvement in symptoms, a treatment is tragically still lacking.
The lack of clarity about the precise underlying mechanisms underpinning the etiology and natural history of endometriosis is one of the biggest issues facing researchers. The most widely accepted theory outlining how an interruption in regular menstrual flow may lead to endometriosis is Sampson’s notion of retrograde menstruation. Normal menstruation (menses) causes the superficial (functional) endometrial layer to shed in order to prepare the endometrium for the upcoming menstrual cycle, which causes vaginal bleeding for an average of five days (4). In retrograde menstruation, shed tissue reaches the pelvic cavity through the fallopian tubes, clings to tissue there, and forms ectopic endometriosis lesions.
What triggers menstrual flow to reverse?
Retrograde bleeding, or period blood that flows backwards, is more common in women who have heavy periods. Almost all women experience some backward flow, but there are a few factors that might make it worse.
Heavy period-bearing women are more likely to experience it. It can also happen when the cervix or vagina are blocked or constricted, making it difficult for the blood to exit. Then there are other factors that probably have an effect but have not received as much research. These include taking into account the precise measurements of the three uterine aperturesthe cervix, the two tube openings, which we know vary in form and sizeas well as the intensity and direction of uterine muscle contraction.
How would you recognize a clogged fallopian tube?
A laparoscopy or hysterosalpingogram may be recommended by your doctor to check the condition of your fallopian tubes (HSG). A catheter is used to introduce liquid dye into the uterus during an HSG test through the vagina (cervix). Then, X-rays are used to determine whether there is a blockage or whether the dye enters the abdomen freely. Saline, air, or foam are used in a different HSG technique that uses ultrasonic rather than X-rays. Your doctor can advise surgery to fix the damage or unclog the fallopian tubes if you have issues.
Your doctor may also suggest assisted reproductive methods that completely exclude the fallopian tubes if you are ovulating normally. These can include in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) (IVF).
What occurs if menstrual blood is not released?
Endometriosis is a condition where tissue that resembles the lining of your uterus grows outside of it and attaches to other organs or structures, frequently causing pain or infertility.
A noncancerous disorder known as endometriosis occurs when tissue that resembles the Endometriosis is a condition where tissue that resembles the lining of your uterus grows outside of it and attaches to other organs or structures, frequently causing pain or infertility. (Uterine lining) extends past the confines of the uterus and clings to many organs and tissues, most frequently those found in the pelvic, including the ovaries, intestines, fallopian tubes, and bladder. Rarely does it implant in other locations, such as the diaphragm, liver, lungs, or surgical sites.
It frequently contributes to infertility and pelvic pain. In the US, it affects roughly 5 million women.
Endometriosis, which was once thought to only affect adult women, is now frequently identified in young people as well.
Menstrual cramps and/or persistent pelvic pain are the most typical symptoms.
Others consist of:
- diarrhea and uncomfortable bowel movements, particularly when menstruating
- painful sex exchange
- abdomen sensitivity
- painful period cramps
- excessive bleeding during periods
- unpleasant urination
- pelvic pain that becomes worse when you workout
- uncomfortable pelvic exams
It is crucial to recognize that any or all of these symptoms might be caused by illnesses other than endometriosis, and other reasons may need to be ruled out. These include, but are not limited to, fibromyalgia, malabsorption syndromes, interstitial cystitis, irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, pelvic adhesions (scar tissue), ovarian masses, uterine anomalies, and, very infrequently, cancers.
Endometriosis tissue that has spread outside of the uterus still responds to hormones, particularly estrogen, from the ovaries, which instruct it to expand. Your uterine lining thickens each month due to the hormone estrogen. Menstrual flow results from the uterine lining being ejected from the uterus as estrogen levels fall (you get your period). But the tissue associated with endometriosis is effectively stuck, in contrast to the tissue lining your uterus, which exits your body when you menstruate.
Internal bleeding results from the tissue’s lack of a drain. Internal bleeding causes inflammation in your body, which can result in the development of scar tissue, commonly known as adhesions. Pain and other symptoms could be brought on by this inflammation and the scar tissue that results.
The displaced endometrial tissue may also establish its own blood supply to aid in proliferation and a nerve supply to connect with the brain, which is thought to be one cause of the condition’s excruciating pain and the other chronic pain disorders that so many women with endometriosis experience.
The severity and nature of symptoms range from barely perceptible to highly incapacitating. Sometimes, especially in women with so-called “unexplained infertility,” there are no symptoms at all.
You can have trouble getting pregnant if endometriosis causes the reproductive organs to become scarred. In fact, between 30 and 40 percent of endometriosis-afflicted women are infertile. Infertility can come from endometriosis, even if it is minor.
Many possibilities exist, however researchers do not yet know what causes endometriosis. Retrograde menstruation, often known as “reverse menstruation,” has been proposed as the primary reason. In this disorder, menstrual blood pushes backward through the fallopian tubes and into the pelvic cavity rather than flowing out of the cervix, the opening of the uterus to the vagina.
However, given the majority of women have some degree of retrograde menstruation without developing endometriosis, researchers think something else may be involved.
An immune system issue or a local hormonal imbalance, for instance, could be the cause of endometriosis and allow the endometrial tissue to establish roots and expand after being forced out of the uterus.
Some women’s abdominal cells may inadvertently develop into endometrial cells, according to other experts. The development of a woman’s reproductive organs at the embryonic stage is driven by the same cells. It is thought that these cells are altered by the woman’s genetic makeup or by environmental factors she is exposed to later in life, causing them to develop into endometrial tissue outside the uterus. Some people also believe that endometriosis might result from prior infections damaging the cells that line the pelvic.
According to certain research, environmental factors may contribute to the emergence of endometriosis. Environmental toxins like dioxin appear to alter immunological responses and reproductive hormones, however this notion has not been validated and is debatable in the medical world.
According to other researchers, the endometrium is aberrant in and of itself, which enables the tissue to separate and connect to different parts of the body.
According to studies, there may be a genetic component to endometriosis, with a higher chance if your mother or sibling had the condition. There is no conclusive evidence connecting any one genetic mutation to the illness.
How does Mercury go backwards?
You’ve probably heard of Mercury retrograde, the planetary phenomenon we’ve all learned to dread, even if you’re not a big fan of horoscopes and astrology. It is said to have an impact on technology and communication, and things may feel a little off. You might find yourself forgetting appointments, losing your keys, or noticing your computer has suddenly stopped working.
Mercury retrograde, according to science, is merely an optical illusion in which the planet appears to reverse its course and move backward in the sky. What time does it occur? The crucial dates in 2022 are: 13 January to 3 February 3, 10 May to 2 June, and 9 September to 1 October. This occurs often three or four times a year.
The three retrogrades this year are all between earth and air signs, reflecting the fact that we are currently in the Age of Aquarius, a sign that is characterized by “abrupt change, building communities, fighting for causes that you care about, and achieving technological achievements.” It will be an excellent time to assess finances and relationships in a year that urges us to make significant love and financial decisions, spanning Capricorn to Aquarius, Taurus to Gemini, and Virgo to Libra.
The fallopian tubes can blood flow via them.
Period blood travels back up through the body, traveling through the fallopian tubes and into the abdominal cavity, as opposed to leaving the body and going into your preferred container (shoutout to my Lily Cup).
What are the four endometriosis stages?
A system of endometriosis classification or staging is helpful to better characterize the condition, create better diagnostic procedures and therapies, improve research, and standardize communication between academics and medical professionals.
Depending on the extent of the disease, the organs involved, and the specifics of each case, endometriosis can manifest itself in a variety of ways and present in a wide range of clinical ways. As a result, developing an uniform consensus classification system for the disease’s stages is not an easy undertaking. The American Society for Reproductive Medicine devised the approach that is most widely used and most well-known (ASRMformerly ASF).
According to the quantity of lesions and depth of infiltration, the ASRM classification system is divided into four stages or grades: minimal (Stage I), mild (Stage II), moderate (Stage III), and severe (Stage IV).
A point system is also used in the categorization to attempt to categorize endometriotic lesions. The sickness can be mathematically scaled using this point system. Minimum or mild illness is indicated by a score of 15 or less. If you receive a 16 or higher, you may have a moderate or severe illness. As previously stated, the degree of pain or the existence of additional symptoms are not always correlated with the severity or score of the condition.