Uterine polyps are growths of extra tissue inside the uterus. They are not generally dangerous, but can disrupt fertility and cause other symptoms that may require treatment. The uterus is a muscular organ with a special tissue lining called the endometrium. The endometrium grows and changes to prepare the uterus for pregnancy, and if a woman does not become pregnant, the body sheds some of the tissue at the time of menstruation.
Sometimes, the tissue grows too much, leading to growths called polyps, which are pieces of tissue, usually no more than the side of a fingertip or pencil eraser, that project from the endometrium. Polyps are influenced by reproductive hormones, so they rarely affect women after menopause. Since the medical technology allowing exploration of the uterus has improved, many women have been found to have polyps, and doctors list them among the most common abnormalities of the uterus. These growths may cause no symptoms at all and go completely undetected, but at other times they may cause symptoms.
Polyps can be diagnosed with several tests. These include uterine ultrasound, which uses sound waves to produce an image of the inside of the uterus, and hysteroscopy, which involves the insertion of a small, telescope-like tube with a camera on its end into the uterus
