Episode 60 - How the Position of Your Womb Impacts Menstrual Health
What if I told you that the way you've been sitting at your desk for the past decade could be the reason your periods feel like torture?
Or that your mysterious pelvic pain, the one your doctor keeps dismissing as "normal," might actually be your uterus trying to tell you something important about how it's positioned in your body?
For years, I suffered through excruciating periods, believing this was just my lot in life. Doctor after doctor told me everything looked "fine." Blood tests came back normal. Ultrasounds showed nothing unusual. Yet every month, I was doubled over in pain, popping painkillers like candy, and wondering why my body seemed to hate me.
It wasn't until a biking accident forced me to work with a pelvic health specialist that I discovered the missing piece of my menstrual health puzzle: my uterus wasn't where it "should" be. And more importantly, I learned that the position of your uterus, something rarely discussed in conventional medicine, can directly impact your period pain, fertility, digestion, libido, and even your posture.
This isn't about finding another thing that's "wrong" with our bodies. This is about understanding a fundamental aspect of our anatomy that most of us were never taught, and how this knowledge can be the key to finally feeling at home in your body.
Topics covered
In this episode, we discussed
- Understanding basic uterine anatomy and how the uterus is held in place by ligaments and fascia
- Different uterine positions: anteverted, retroverted, retroflexed, laterally displaced, hyperflexed, and prolapsed
- How uterine position can affect period pain, fertility, digestion, libido, and posture
- Iris's personal story of a biking accident and how it impacted her pelvic health
- The connection between stress, nervous system, and uterine positioning
- How daily habits like crossing legs and posture affect pelvic alignment
- The psoas muscle's role in pelvic health and stress response
- Why the uterus is a mobile, responsive organ that reflects our emotional and physical state
- Practical breathing techniques for pelvic floor awareness and relaxation
- Types of support available: integral pelvic health therapy, Arvigo therapy, pelvic floor therapy, and osteopathy
Listen to the Episode
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Timestamps
[00:01:25] Why uterus position affects period pain, fertility, and digestion
[00:02:25] Basic anatomy: where your uterus sits and what holds it in place
[00:03:20] Common uterus positions explained (retroverted, retroflexed, lateral)
[00:04:09] How sitting, trauma, and childbirth can shift uterus position
[00:05:29] My bike accident story and discovering internal pelvic tension
[00:08:02] How different uterus positions create specific symptoms
[00:09:32] The connection between misaligned uterus and painful sex
[00:10:54] Why stress and posture directly impact organ positioning
[00:12:07] The psoas muscle and internal pelvic floor connection
[00:14:05] How the uterus responds to nervous system states
[00:20:59] Integral pelvic health therapy and internal release work
[00:22:29] Arvigo therapy/Mayan abdominal massage benefits
[00:23:32] Breathing techniques for pelvic floor release
[00:24:58] Womb awareness and somatic tracking practices
[00:26:31] How your cervix moves throughout your cycle
[00:28:37] Why your womb isn't broken (she's just communicating)
Understanding Your Uterus: A Mobile, Responsive Organ
First, let's ground this in anatomy. Your uterus is held in place by a web of ligaments and fascia, primarily the broad ligaments, round ligaments, and uterosacral ligaments that tether the womb to your pelvic bones, sacrum, and abdominal wall.
In typical anatomy, the uterus slightly tilts forward and rests above the bladder (called an anteverted uterus). But here's what many don't know: numerous variations exist, and they're more common than you might think.
Common Uterus Positions Include:
- Retroverted uterus: Tilted backwards towards the spine
- Retroflexed uterus: Bent backwards on itself more sharply
- Laterally displaced uterus: Pulled to the right or left
- Hyperflexed uterus: Deeply curled forward
- Low-lying or prolapsed uterus: Sitting lower than ideal
Some of us are born with these positions. Others develop them over time from sitting habits, pelvic floor tension, childbirth, trauma, surgery, or even digestive issues.
My Personal Wake-Up Call: How a Bike Accident Changed Everything
Five years ago, I had a biking accident that completely transformed my understanding of pelvic health. I was standing at a red light with my bike between my legs when someone crashed into me from behind. I fell sideways, my bike trapping me in an awkward position that severely impacted my pelvis.
The pain was excruciating, especially during my periods. I experienced pain when using the bathroom, and my menstrual cramps became unbearable. It wasn't until I found an integral pelvic health practitioner who worked internally through the vagina that I understood what had happened. My accident had shifted my organ positioning and created intense muscle tension throughout my pelvic bowl.
How Uterus Position Affects Your Menstrual Health
The position of your uterus impacts circulation, nerve signaling, lymphatic drainage, and how efficiently your uterus can contract during menstruation. Here's what different positions might mean:
Retroverted or Retroflexed Uterus
- May press against the rectum
- Can cause low back pain and constipation
- Creates a deep pelvic dragging feeling before bleeding
Sharply Anteflexed Uterus
- May compress the bladder
- Can lead to intense cramping as blood struggles to exit smoothly
- Potentially causes frequent urination
Off-Center Uterus
- May reduce blood flow to one ovary or fallopian tube
- Can impact ovulation or hormone signaling
Low-Lying Uterus
- Indicates weakened pelvic muscle tone
- May increase heaviness or that "falling out" feeling
The Stress-Posture-Pelvis Connection
Here's something fascinating: your uterus doesn't just respond to physical structure; it responds to stress. I discovered this through my own habit of micro-squeezing my knees together when stressed or constantly crossing my legs.
This seemingly innocent posture creates tension in the inner groin, which connects to internal pelvic muscles. The psoas muscle, heavily impacted by stress, directly affects how muscles sit in your pelvic bowl. Shallow breathing, high cortisol, and nervous system imbalances can shift how your organs sit.
The uterus is innervated by both sympathetic and parasympathetic branches, meaning it's wired into your stress response and your ability to rest and digest. It's a highly dynamic organ: sensitive, shifting in response to hormones, embedded in a network that constantly translates your emotional, biochemical, and mechanical experiences into tissue tone.
Supporting Your Uterine Alignment Naturally
The good news? Your womb is mobile and can shift, return, and recenter. Here are approaches that have helped me and many of my clients:
1. Integral Pelvic Health Therapy
Working with practitioners who address both external and internal pelvic muscles can be transformative. After my accident, internal work through the vagina helped release a knot in my pelvic floor that external therapy couldn't reach.
2. Arvigo Therapy/Mayan Abdominal Massage
This indigenous technique helps guide the uterus back to center through releasing restrictions and improving circulation, not through force, but through gentle, knowledgeable touch.
3. Body Awareness Practices
- Posture awareness: Notice habits like leg crossing or knee squeezing
- Breathing exercises: Try sitting on your knees with a bolster under your pelvis, placing a rolled towel between your sitting bones, and breathing to feel your pelvic muscles move like a jellyfish
- Womb tracking: Notice how your pelvis feels in each menstrual cycle phase
4. Daily Habits for Pelvic Health
- Use a "poop bench" (footstool) for better bathroom positioning
- Practice breathing techniques instead of straining
- Maintain equal body usage (avoid favoring one side)
- Regular movement practices like Pilates or strength training
Tracking Your Pelvic Story Through Your Cycle
Your cervix naturally moves up and down throughout your cycle: lowest during menstruation, highest around ovulation. This movement affects your internal sensation and how your uterus sits in your pelvic bowl.
By tracking these sensations, you develop body literacy that helps you notice when something feels off. It's not about perfection; it's about feeling at home in your body and recognizing when you need support.
The Missing Link in Menstrual Health
If you've been told "everything looks normal" but still experience:
- Painful periods
- Pelvic pressure or heaviness
- Sharp pain during sex (especially in certain positions)
- Digestive issues around your period
- Low back pain
Consider that uterine position might be the missing piece. It's not always about supplements or diet; sometimes it's about how you use your body daily and how your internal structures respond.
Your Womb Is Not Broken
If your womb is tilted, she's tilted for a reason. The beauty is that she's mobile: she can shift, return, and recenter with proper support. This isn't about adding to your to-do list; it's about reconnecting with your pelvic space with reverence, softness, and curiosity.
Remember: equality in your body matters. Each side deserves the same input and attention. When we become aware of how we use our bodies, we can support them in remembering balance.
Moving Forward
Your pelvic story is unique, and understanding it can be the key to feeling more at home in your body. Whether through professional support, daily awareness practices, or simple posture adjustments, you have the power to influence how your body feels.
If this resonates with you or brings up questions, I'd love to hear from you. What's your experience with pelvic health? Have you noticed connections between your posture, stress, and menstrual symptoms?
Key Takeaways
- Your uterus position directly impacts menstrual health - Period pain, fertility, digestion, and libido all connect to uterine alignment
- Multiple uterus positions are normal variations - Retroverted, retroflexed, lateral, or low-lying positions are common but rarely discussed
- Posture habits shape your pelvic health - Years of leg crossing, knee squeezing, or slouching can shift organ positioning
- Stress physically moves your organs - The psoas muscle and nervous system directly affect how your uterus sits
- Your womb is mobile and responsive - Unlike fixed organs, your uterus can shift, return, and recenter with proper support
- Internal pelvic work can reach what external therapy cannot - Some muscle knots and tensions require vaginal access to release
- Daily habits matter more than one-time fixes - How you sit, breathe, and move daily impacts your pelvic alignment
- Cycle tracking reveals pelvic patterns - Your cervix and uterus naturally move throughout your menstrual phases
- Professional support exists for this issue - Integral pelvic therapists, Arvigo practitioners, and specialized osteopaths can help
- Your body isn't broken, it's communicating - Symptoms are your body's way of asking for different support and awareness
About the Host
I’m Iris Josephina—functional hormone specialist, orthomolecular hormone coach, and entrepreneur. Through Cycle Seeds and The Inner Rhythms Podcast, I support people in reconnecting with their cyclical nature, deepening body literacy, and reclaiming hormonal harmony from a place of sovereignty and embodied knowledge. Most people know me from Instagram, where I share stories, tools, and inspiration on cyclical living, menstrual cycles, fertility, hormones and more.
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