Asherman Syndrome
Female Infertility
Obie Editorial Team
Asherman syndrom is a medical condition associated with scarring, intrauterine adhesions, or synechiae, inside the uterus, the formation of scar tissue inside the uterus.
The scar tissue joins parts of the walls of the uterus to one another, causing the volume or size of the inside of the uterus cavity to be reduced. The front of the uterus may be stuck to the back or the sides to each other.
The most frequent symtom of Asherman's is not getting a period (amenorrhea), or decreased menstrual flow (oligomenorrhea), which can result from a decrease of the space within the uterus caused by the scar adhesions. Other symtoms may include increased cramping and abdominal pain, recurrent miscarriage and infertility. Some women with Asherman's Syndrome have no bleeding but feel pain at the time their period would normally occur every month.
Asherman syndrome may be caused by prior uterine surgery like a dilatation and curettage, especially after a miscarriage or other pregnancy, a prior pregnancy with an abnormal placenta like a placenta accreta, or infections.
The diagnosis is usually made with a hysteroscopy or a hysterosalpingogram. Treatment can consist of a hysteroscopy removing the adhesions. To prevent further scarring estrogen is often given to speed up healing. Some doctors also use a balloon after hysteroscopy to prevent the uterine walls from forming more adhesions.