I am 28 and have been trying for a baby for three years. The doctor diagnosed retroverted uterus to be the likely problem. She has given me the option of going for an operation to correct the position. Can anything else be done?

-- Edwina

RUN QUICKLY. You need to find another doctor. Your doctor is uninformed. A retroverted uterus -- one tipped backwards -- is normally seen in up to 20 percent of all women. It is definitely not a cause of infertility. Please find a physician who has completed a reproductive endocrinology fellowship.

Surgery for a tipped uterus may be of benefit for a small number of women who experience pain with intercourse. This may occur if the angle of the uterus leaves the ovaries lying on top of the vagina. In that case, the position may be corrected by surgery. Such surgery is not an appropriate response to infertility, however.