Decidual polyp: the cause of the onset, diagnosis, treatment and consequences

Often, women leave the gynecological office with a diagnosis of "decidual polyp". Moreover, it is the pregnant women who face similar problems. Naturally, this term does not inspire confidence, therefore women try to find out about what this neoplasm is and whether it is dangerous for the organism of the future mother and child.

What is a decidual polyp? a brief description of

To begin with it is necessary to understand the term. The decidual polyp is a neoplasm that is formed from the fetal tissues and placenta cells. The polyp protrudes into the lumen of the cervical canal, and sometimes beyond. As a rule, this structure has a flat shape, but sometimes the neoplasm is attached to the tissues with the help of a thin stem. It is formed because of the proliferation of the mucous membrane of the cervical canal.

These are small benign growths, which in most cases do not carry a threat. According to statistics, about 22% of pregnant women face such a diagnosis and in most cases tolerate it without complications.

The main causes of the appearance of tumors

Until now, it is not known exactly why some pregnant women develop a decidual polyp of the cervical canal. Nevertheless, thanks to research, several risk factors have been identified.

Most doctors associate the appearance of a neoplasm with a violation of the hormonal background. Indeed, during pregnancy, the body of a woman undergoes significant changes, which affects the work of the immune system. In particular, when diagnosed in patients, an increase in the level of estrogens and certain other hormones is often determined.

The causes include violations in the work of the immune system, because it affects the same level of hormones and can provoke tissue proliferation. It was also noted that in the history of many patients, cervical lesions were reported from previous births, gynecological procedures, abortions, sexual acts, and so on.

What symptoms are accompanied by the disease?

In most cases, the decidual polyp of the cervical canal causes no disturbance. Symptoms are absent, the patients feel good, and pregnancy is normal. Neoplasm is most often detected by chance, during an examination in a gynecologist's office.

Any symptoms that appear are not due to the presence of the polyp itself, but to its trauma or intensive growth. What should you pay attention to patients? Sometimes future mothers notice the appearance of uncharacteristic vaginal discharge - they can be abundant or scarce. If an infection joins the process, the whites have an unpleasant smell, and their color changes.

Injury to the polyp is accompanied by vascular damage, so blood is present in the secretions. Sometimes it's just a small admixture, and sometimes massive bleeding. The list of symptoms can include pain and spasms in the lower abdomen, which either appear periodically, or are present all the time.

Some patients experience an increase in body temperature. This, as a rule, indicates the presence of an inflammatory process. In any case, in the presence of the above symptoms it is necessary to visit the gynecologist as soon as possible. It is possible that the polyp is not a threat to pregnancy, but the diagnosis is still worth it.

What complications are possible?

In the majority of cases, decidual polyp during pregnancy does not carry any danger. On the other hand, the appearance of complications is still possible.

Such neoplasms have a variety of blood vessels. They are brittle and easily injured. You can damage polyp tissue, for example, during gynecological examination or sexual intercourse, as a result of excessive physical exertion. First, such injuries are fraught with bleeding. Secondly, there is a risk of penetration of bacterial or fungal infection into the pelvic organs. Occasionally, there are cases in which a strong proliferation of polyps provokes premature birth.

Diagnostic measures

You can see a neoplasm during colposcopy. A doctor with a colposcope can carefully examine the cervix. The procedure takes several minutes, it is safe and painless. Large polyps sometimes go out from the cervical canal into the vaginal part - in such cases the doctor can take a small amount of tissue for histological analysis. Laboratory examination of tissues will help to determine whether the tumor is benign.

It is necessary to conduct a series of tests. In particular, the patients take blood samples for analysis. A vaginal swab is also needed. Such studies help in time to determine the presence of infection.

Decidual polyp during pregnancy: is treatment necessary?

It is worth immediately to reassure pregnant women. Similar polyps on the cervix in most cases do not require any treatment. They are rarely an obstacle in childbirth, and at the end of pregnancy and the normalization of the hormonal background, tumors disappear on their own.

As a rule, women are recommended to follow a healthy lifestyle, eat right, try to avoid stress as much as possible. All this contributes to the normalization of the endocrine system and the strengthening of the immune system.

Medication Therapy

Most often, the decidual polyp disappears after childbirth. Drug treatment is required only in selected cases. For example, sometimes for some reason or another the hormonal background can only be restored by taking medication. If there is damage to the polyp, which is accompanied by the penetration of pathogenic microorganisms into the blood, patients are prescribed antibacterial or antifungal drugs. Antibiotic therapy, incidentally, is often carried out after the removal of polyps - for prevention. With a strong decrease in the immune system, vitamin complexes are used, and sometimes immunomodulators.

Of course, women must constantly be under the supervision of a gynecologist, regularly take tests and visit the doctor's office to enable the specialist to monitor the development or attenuation of the disease.

When is surgery necessary?

Surgical intervention is appointed only as a last resort. In particular, polyps on the cervix should be removed if the patient experiences severe bleeding. The doctor can make the same decision if the tumor is infected, ulcerations or other destructive lesions are observed on it.

The decidual polyp occasionally can provoke an increase in the tone of the uterus and the appearance of spasms, which is a threat to pregnancy. Of course, surgeons today use extremely sparing methods. For example, the neoplasm is not removed by standard surgical instruments. The decidual polyp after curettage can appear again, and this technique is dangerous for the fetus.

Therefore, today more and more often such neoplasms are removed with the help of a laser. Less commonly used cryodestruction and thermocoagulation. Such procedures are quite simple and take, as a rule, several minutes. The doctor uses an endoscope during removal. The laser beam immediately cauterizes the damaged vessels, which eliminates the possibility of bleeding and infection in the tissues of the mother or child.