Many diseases and problems can cause uterine enlargement. Some are benign while some are serious and need medical attention. Women don't usually realize their uterus is enlarged, since it is difficult to feel the uterus unless you're pregnant. A medical practitioner, however, can feel an enlarged uterus during an internal exam.
Fibroids
Fibroids are growths of the muscle wall of the uterus, also known as the myometrium. Fibroid are almost always benign, or non cancerous. Fibroids are common, afflicting 20 to 40 percent of women older than age 35, the University of Maryland Medical Center reports. Fibroids are even more common in African American women, occurring in 50 percent. Fibroids usually grow larger as women age until menopause. Fibroids enlarge the uterus and can sometimes be felt in the lower abdomen as hard lumps. Fibroids can cause heavy periods and cramping, back pain, urinary difficulty, constipation and abdominal pressure due to the pressure of the enlarged uterus on nearby organs
Adenomyosis
Adenomyosis is a normally benign but often painful condition in which the endometrium, the lining of the uterus, grows in the muscular wall of the uterus. The uterus may increase to double or triple its normal size in people with adenomyosis, the Mayo Clinic states. Adenomyosis usually occurs after women have had children and disappears after menopause. Adenomyosis may cause heavy bleeding with period, spotting between periods and severe menstrual cramping in addition to pain.
Uterine Cancer
Advanced uterine cancer can cause enlargement of the uterus. Abnormal bleeding after menopause is the main symptom of uterine cancer, occurring in one-third of cases. Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center says that vaginal bleeding after menopause is considered to be uterine cancer until proven otherwise. Endometrial cancer is the most common cancer of the uterus. Uterine cancer is more common in women who are obese, women with diabetes and women who have never had children. Women with a family or personal history of ovarian or breast cancer, especially if they've taken tamoxifen, are more likely to develop uterine cancer. Women with a history of breast cancer who are also obese have an especially high risk.
Pregnancy
Pregnancy is an obvious cause of uterine enlargement, and one easily recognized by most women. While it's rare that a pregnant woman doesn't realize she's pregnant, occasionally the diagnosis is made when a woman goes to a medical practitioner because she's having severe abdominal pain and is told she's pregnant and about to deliver. The pregnant uterus can be felt just above the pubic bone around 12 weeks of pregnancy, at the umbilicus around 20 weeks, and just below the ribs at full term.
