A double uterus is a rare abnormality that develops when a baby girl is in her mother’s womb. Every uterus starts out as two small tubes called Mullerian ducts. As they begin to develop, they usually fuse together to form one uterus. But in rare cases, the tubes remain separate and become two uteri.
Sometimes there is only one cervix for both wombs, other times each womb has a cervix. Often the vagina in women with a double uterus is divided into two separate openings by a thin membrane.
It’s entirely possible for women with a double uterus to carry a baby to term. However, the condition does come with an increased risk of miscarriage or premature labor.
You may also hear a double uterus referred to as uterus didelphys. It’s sometimes confused for a septate uterus (a divided uterus) or a bicornuate (heart-shaped) uterus.
It’s quite common for a woman with a double uterus to experience no symptoms whatsoever. A doctor may discover the condition during a routine pelvic exam. Otherwise, it’s usually found when investigating the cause of recurrent miscarriages.
If a woman has a double vagina with a double uterus, then she may experience menstrual bleeding even after she’s inserted a tampon. This is because she has placed the tampon inside one of her vaginas but is still bleeding from the other vagina.
The condition is a congenital abnormality. This means it occurs during development as a fetus, and affected baby girls are born with the condition.
We know that the condition occurs when two small tubes fail to merge into one and instead develop into a uterus each. However, it’s not known exactly what causes this to happen. It could be that there is a genetic link, as the condition has been known to run in families.
Surgery is possible to correct a double uterus, but it’s rarely needed. For women who have a double uterus but are experiencing no symptoms, there is no need to treat the condition. Those who experience recurrent miscarriages that have no other medical explanation may be offered the surgery. It’s possible that the surgery will help them to sustain a successful pregnancy.
Women with a double vagina and a double uterus may benefit from surgery to remove the dividing membrane in their vagina. This can make childbirth easier for them.
Having a double uterus doesn’t usually cause a woman any problems for actually getting pregnant. Sometimes the shape of the uterus that the fetus has implanted in leads to miscarriage. As well, women with a double uterus generally have smaller uteri, which can lead to preterm labor.
If you have a double uterus and are pregnant, your doctors will want to monitor your pregnancy very closely to ensure that all is well with your baby. They may suggest early delivery via cesarean delivery (C-section) if the baby shows signs that they’re not doing well.
If you’ve had recurrent miscarriages, you may be offered surgery, which can increase your chances of carrying to term.
Women with a double uterus often find they have a heavy menstrual flow. They may need to seek assistance from their doctor should it become unmanageable.
Abnormalities of the Mullerian duct can affect another duct that develops in the fetus, called the Wolffian duct. Malformations of the Wolffian duct can cause kidney issues. This complication occurs in 15 to 30 percent of women with a double uterus.
In a very small number of cases, women with a double uterus find they are unable to get pregnant.
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