DRESCRIPTION:
A double uterus may have one opening into one vagina. This opening is called the cervix. In other cases, each uterus has its own cervix. Often, there’s also a thin wall of tissue that runs down the length of the vagina.
A double uterus is a rare condition that is present at birth in some women. In a female fetus, the uterus starts out as two small tubes. As the fetus grows, the tubes typically join to create one larger, hollow organ. This organ is the uterus.
SYMPTOMS:
- Pain during sex.
- Painful cramping before and during your period.
- Heavy bleeding during your period.
- Leaking blood when using a tampon (tampon is only in one uterus and not the other).
- Frequent miscarriages.
- Preterm labour.
COMPLICATION:
Many women with a double uterus have active sex lives. They also may have routine pregnancies and successful deliveries. But sometimes a double uterus and other uterine factors can cause:
- Infertility
- Miscarriage.
- Premature birth.
- Kidney problems.
HOW IS DOUBLE UTERUS DIAGNOSED?
Your healthcare provider may diagnose a double uterus during a routine pelvic exam after feeling two cervixes or two vaginas. They’ll likely order additional imaging tests to confirm uterus didelphys.
A pelvic exam could reveal the presence of two uteruses. Once that exam is done, a physician may decide to do an ultrasound, an MRI (Magnetic resonance imaging), a Sonohysterogram (an ultrasound scan, that is done after fluid is injected through a tube into the uterus by way of the vagina and cervix) or Hysterosalpingography (an exam in which dye is injected into the uterus through the cervix. As the dye moves through the reproductive organs, X-rays are taken to determine the shape and size of the uterus.) In females, the evaluation of those anomalies is an important part of the assessment of a child with anorectal malformations.
