Does anyone else have a bicornuate uterus?

[tavistock]

In 2009 I was diagnosed with a bicornuate uterus. The gynaecologist explained that if I become pregnant I may have a breach pregnancy and need a c ? section, he also said that the baby could be premature due to my inadequate cervix. I?m desperate to become a Mum but terrified of the implications regarding premature babies, space in my uterus to develop, pregnancy failure after first trimester etc. I?d love to hear from Mums with the same problem.

[crazyhead]

How funny tavistock - I literally just posted on the same thing. I am 10 weeks pregnant and just got told I have prob got a heart shaped uterus, which means the same as bicornuate.

The way I am feeling about my second trimester is that I have to just approach it like the first, unpleasant as it is, everyone knows they have a high chance could miscarry for those first 12 weeks, and mentally, I just need to extend that to the next 12. Yes, it would be a lot shitter. But you only have the life you've got, and you just have to choose.

It IS very frightening, but if they know, they can monitor you. The window of delivering a living child that is really brain damaged cos of it - say 24 to 30 weeks - is quite small, and if you're high risk there's quite a lot they can do (stitch you up to keep baby in etc, or inject steroids into your baby's lungs to prepare him for early birth)

IMO a c-section is no big deal. Lots of hospitals have 40-50percent c-section rates, and the reality is that when you look at the evidence (long term incontinence with vaginal birth versus c-section risks) there isn't much in it. In fact, (in the context of my job) a gynae I knew told me his wife and all her female gynae friends had all had elective c-sections - and let's face it, they know the risks

It is also worth saying, that if you get through one pregnancy, subsequent pregnancies are lower risk, cos your uterus is stretched

All of this sounds glum - the fact is, plenty of women with what we have sail through it and don't even find out they've got this problem till birth, maybe the birth of number 4! But I really get how you feel. It is a bit shit and yes I am very stressed, so I'm just explaining my current rationalisation of it all. Just remember, so many of the poor sods who lose a baby at six months have no known reason - pregnancy is always risky

Let me know if you want to know any more!

[OliPocket]

Another bi-cornuate uterus here and I had my son in December 2010 delivered by elective C-section at 39 weeks as he was breech. Baby had been breech from about 20 weeks and stayed that way. I have a heart-shaped uterus too so effectively two 'horns'. Each time I fall pregnant the embryo implants in either the right or the left horn.

DS1 was in my right hand side and DS2 in the left. I am one of the 'poor sods' (nice terminology, crazyhead ) who lost a baby in the 2nd trimester (DS1) but it was not at all related to having a bi-cornuate uterus.

I was monitored really closely with DS2 and told to come straight to the hospital if I had any twinges or pain. I was scanned every 2 weeks in the last 8 weeks and the C-section was arranged when I was 37 weeks along.

HTH and feel free to ask me anything else.

Good luck!

[numptysmummy]

It was casually mentioned to me that i had a heart shaped womb at my first scan with my first dc. Was never mentioned again and although she was early (due to pre eclampsia) i never had a by probs with my other pgs and had normal deliveries with them all. Presumably there are varying degrees it then? No help, just curious!

[numptysmummy]

Must remember to preview!

[lilly13]

I have this, too. My consultant said that this should not be a problem for a vaginal delivery/ baby growth. I think it really depends on the size of uterine cavature. A friend of mine had a bicornute uterus too and had a surgery done before TTC... again, the size of cavature and uterine capacity must be assessed by a very experienced obstetritian. If you are in London, I'd recommend Katherine Erskine at Portland hospital. Should at least get a second opinion. Hope things go well for you!

[lilly13]

btw, my baby is not breech

[crazyhead]

Hello numptysmummy - yes, there are big differences, from a dip to a total separation/split, with two chambers. Basically, bigger split equals bigger problem. Don't know what mine is yet. Sounds like yours may not be major and as though it just hasn't played a role for you, which is really cheering.

The other issue is that is can sometimes be associated with an incompetent cervix (hence higher miscarriage risk later) and sometimes the fetus implants very high up in one side and can't get enough sustenance (hence earlier miscarriage risk)

Olipocket - I'm so sorry about your first. :( How unfair to have an unrelated thing too to make that happen, you'd have thought that a funny-shaped uterus would have been enough to deal with. I'm really glad to hear you did go on to have a successful pregnancy though. I'm at St Thomas's in London and they seem really vigilant to me, so at the very least I can make really sure that nothing avoidable happens.

[numptysmummy]

Thanks for clearing that up crazyhead, i hope everything goes well for you.

[crazyhead]

thank you numptysmummy! and thanks too for the suggestion, lilly13. I'll see what further info I get about severity at the prematurity clinic at 14 weeks (they do a more detailed abdominal scan then) but if I do have problems and this pg doesn't work, I'll look into Katherine Erskine.

This time will just have to be the suck it and see time. On the bright side I got pg very easily, so at least this revelation doesn't come after years of fruitless trying, but at 34 I don't want to mess around with a vague diagnosis if I can avoid it

[lilly13]

crazyhead, i hope things go well for you. you can also try Dr Yehudi Gordon at Viveka at St John's Wood in London. he is an amazing obgyn with over 30 years of experience and has many obgyn books published. if you have good insurance, it should cover the visit.

[ALovelyBunchOfCoconuts]

I have this too. I have one DD born 2 weeks late, vaginally, 2mcs and now 15 weeks preg with DC2.

Was always told it would cause me no problems whatsoever. Now I'm worried.

[crazyhead]

I've heard that if you'd had one you're likely to be fine ALovelyBunch since your womb can clearly stand up to a late 'un (and will have stretched giving number 2 even more room!)

Chances are yours is minor and nothing to fret about. Think severity has a big impact, and your docs will be the ones to know about that. Take care and all the best with DC2

[Srse]

hi there
im also in the heart shaped club and currently 39 weeks expecting a normal birth (whatever normal is!) - i did have a MMC at 7 weeks but doctor said it was nothing to do with the bicornuate.
There are a lot of horror stories online so personally wouldnt read up too much online - a lot depends on how seperated the chambers are.
Good luck!

[TheOriginalNutcracker]

Hello, I also have a bicornuate uterus, I also have 3 children.

When pregnant with dd1 i was warned of prem labour but got to 38 weeks no problem. Dd1 was breech though and so was delivered by c section.

Dd2 was also breech but then suddenly at 34 weeks she turned and then I went into labour. I had an emergency c section as dd was in distress. Consultant said that dd had wrapped the cord round her neck twice when she had turned. She spent 2 weeks in scbu but was absolutly fine.

I then had ds, who was also breech, and so had another section. He was born at 37 weeks but because of a seperate problem.

It would not put me off having another baby, as the problems i encountered were minimal.

[carrielou2007]

Another twin horns here, have had 2 MC and 2 gorgous dc. Both big babies born at 40+15 and 40+12 everthing I read said I would have to have a CS yet no-one really bothered by it. Was offered CS for ds due to size of dd/forcepss/bad tearing/born OP but both born healthy. Good luck

[mawbroon]

I have one too. As others have said, it all depends on the individual uterus.

Mine is heart shaped and not too deeply divided, but it was enough for ds1 to get his head wedged into one of the lobes leaving him unable to turn head down (he tried hard, bless him ) It was only discovered during the elec CS for ds1.

ds2 managed to turn at 37 weeks, he was a lot smaller though at 5lbs 15oz. I had a successful VBAC with him and my uterus wasn't an issue.

Ignorance was bliss with ds1 though, I can understand why you are worried. At least I knew I had carried ds1 to term.

Made for a really weird shaped bump both times though! I am guessing that they were both more comfy lying diagonally and I often had a huge hollow right in the middle of my bump!

I also thing that consultants like to paint the bleakest picture though, I bet there are loads of women had totally normal pregnancies, some prob don't even know.

[tavistock]

Thanks mawbroon - I think your right about consultants painting the bleakest picture. After my last visit to hospital I was terrified at the idea of being pregnant and have even considered surrogacy. Having read all these comments from other people like me i'm starting to think it might be okay after all.