Medical Author: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD
Medical Editor: William C. Shiel, Jr., MD, FACP, FACR
Previous Contributing Medical Author: Carolyn J. Crandall, MD, MS, FACP
Uterine growths are tissue enlargements of the female womb (uterus). Uterine growths can be caused by either harmless or dangerous conditions. Growths are sometimes referred to medically as masses or tumors. An example of a harmless (benign or non-cancerous) growth, which does not pose a threat, is a polyp of the cervix. Some growths, such as uterine fibroids, are benign, but they can still cause some annoying problems, such as bleeding. Other dangerous growths of the uterus include cancerous (malignant) growths.
While the majority of uterine growths are benign, cancers of the uterus do occur. This article will discuss the benign conditions that cause uterine growths or masses. Benign growths, or non-cancerous, growths include uterine fibroids, adenomyosis, and uterine polyps. For information about cancer of the uterus, please see the Uterine Cancer article.
Anatomy
The uterus (or womb) is a hollow, pear-shaped organ that is located in a woman's lower abdomen between the bladder and the rectum. The narrow, lower portion of the uterus is the cervix; the broader, upper part is known as the corpus. The cervix forms the transition between the uterus and the vagina. The vagina, or birth canal, connects the uterus to the outside of the body.
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