Heart-shaped uterus??!

[Hevava]

Hi Everyone,

I'm 8 weeks + 5 and had an early scan on Weds to check everything was ok. We had a mmc just over a year ago and it had been hard to believe that things might be ok this time around. Huge relief to see a heartbeat and know that things are going well! :-)

The sonographer told me that I have a heart-shaped womb though which is something I'd never heard of. She was surprised that the NHS hadn't told me last time I was pregnant.

Does anyone know anything about abnormally shaped wombs and what risk they carry? I guess it's something I could ask about at my 12 week scan....

Pregnancies in a bicornuate uterus are usually considered high-risk and require extra monitoring because of association with poor reproduction potential.
A bicornuate uterus is associated with increased adverse reproductive outcomes like:
Recurrent pregnancy loss: the reproductive potential of a bicornuate uterus is usually measured by live birth rate (also called fetal survival rate).[3]
Preterm birth: with a 15 to 25% rate of preterm delivery. The reason that a pregnancy may not reach full-term in a bicornuate uterus often happens when the baby begins to grow in either of the protrusions at the top. A short cervical length seems to be a good predicter of preterm delivery in women with a bicornuate uterus.[4]
Malpresentation (breech birth or transverse presentation): a breech presentation occurs in 40-50% pregnancies with a partial bicornuate uterus and not at all (0%) in a complete bicornuate uterus.[5]
Deformity: Offspring of mothers with a bicornuate uterus are at high risk for "deformities and disruptions" and "malformations."[6]
Previously, a bicornuate uterus was thought to be associated with infertility,[7] but recent studies have not confirmed such an association.[8]

Could you not have softened that a bit rather than copy in a lot of brutally fearmongering info?

Hello OP, I was also told I had a heart shaped uterus, more in a passing sort of way, wasn't made a big deal of. Having had my own share of tragedies in this area, if it had been something to worry about I reckon they would have told me.

I went on to have a successful and happy pregnancy. Noone ever referred to shape ofwomb.

SPeak to your midwife for reassurance.

Christ x0gawjus0x

I have a heart-shaped uterus and have 3 DCs. DC1 was breech. After he was born, I asked the obstetrician if there was any reason for it and that's when the heart-shaped uterus was mentioned.

My other DCs weren't breech. I think it is one of those things that many people have, but is not necessarily discovered unless there is a problem.

Slightly heart-shaped is very very different to bicornuate which can mean a septum or wall divides the uterus. That is not what the sonographer described.

I know you're going to worry, especially given your MMC, but try not to. It may have no bearing on your pregnancy at all. Talking it through at the 12 week scan sounds like a good plan.

No I couldn't as I haven't got a clue about it and didnt wanna re word it incase I got anything wrong, that's all I could find :)

I too have a heart-shaped uterus - only realised this when my 2 month old DS was born via emergency c-section due to breech position. The doctors only realised that he was breech at the last minute - and this was due to the fact that my uterus was heart-shaped so he didn't have much room to move.

Several medical professionals failed to notice he was breech - they all thought he was head down and ready to go! Definitely verify via ultrasound what position he is in - would have been easier if I had known he was breech in advance!

DS is perfect and was born super healthy in my heart-shaped uterus - this in itself will not affect the health of the baby, he might have a bit less room to move around though.

My pregnancy was great - went overdue by 1 week, not much sickness etc etc. Not sure if x0gawjus0x has much personal experience of a heart-shpaed uterus but I can say my pregnancy and birth experience was great.

Enjoy your pregnancy!

Same as fabulous. My womb carried my beautiful son to term and caused no additional risk. It was mentioned in a 'oh that's interesting way', nothing more sinister

I'm sure the OP has google x0gawjus0x

I have a heart shaped womb and have 2 dc. My best friend also has one and she has 2dc.

Ds was born at 34 weeks naturally. i was given extra scans throughtout as classed as high risk.

Dd was born at 36 weeks. She was breech so I had a section. They won't try and turn if you have a heart shaped womb. Dd got a bit wedged and I also had low fluid (not attributed to the shape of my womb) so she came out a bit squished but 18 weeks on everything is fine.

I was given lots of conflicting info from various professionals from being told I'll never carry a child long enough for it to be viable to its nothing to worry about.

From what I understand the risks are mainly that once the baby grows a heart shaped womb doesn't stretch as well hence a higher risk of prem babies.

I hope this helps a reassure you a bit and good luck !

I have a slight bicornuate uterus and am 6 +5 weeks pregnant.

I had some gynea issues which is how it got diagnosed, I have been told not to worry although I will need extra monitoring throughout.

It can mean a higher chance of miscarriage but I find it really comforting that we know about it and the midwifeand obstetrician will monitor me carefully.

Hi Hevava

I have a fully bicornute uterus - and have had three healthy boys.
I did have a couple of very early miscarriages prior to DS1- which may or may not have been caused by the shape of my womb. The diagnosis was made during an ERPC after my second miscarriage.

All three babies were delivered early. DS1 at 36 weeks due to IUGR - again this my or may not have been caused by the septum. DS 2 at 37 weeks - ELCS due to transverse lie and DS3 at 35 weeks, just because he fancied putting in an early appearance.

And as for x0gawjus0x 's list of stats - My children are not malformed, deformed or disrupted and I don't have a short cervix.

Good luck!

Yikes!

I'm trying not to worry too much about it at the moment- I suppose a lot depends on the extent of the abnormality and I'm not going to know that for a few weeks I guess. Thanks for the reassurances ladies- good to know it's not so rare.

When I asked the sonographer about whether it carried an increased risk of complications she didn't really give me a direct answer but just said that there might be more of a chance I'd have bleeding or spotting because of where the placenta is positioned.

Surely your womb will change shape during pregnancy anyway though right....plenty of time for it to fix itself??!

me! I have one.

I have 5 children no miscarriages, all head down no breech and no early arrivals caused by it :)

also no probs at all getting pregnant. fell pregnant with all mine 1st goes (accidents and all)

2 of those babies are twins and still no probs from it
don't worry.

Thank you so much ladies :-) it is such a relief to understand it better. Glad to hear that in most cases it's not a problem.

Is it likely that I'm on track for automatically being put in the 'high-risk' box?

I was never classed as high risk because of it

Hi all x :)

I just had a scan 20 weeks and everything was fine appart my bby boy heart shape :( they said that insted od V shape is U. They said everything is fine as the baby is moving and the heart beat is 1

Sorry did add . The heart beat is 140. I am from Slough so they said that i have to go Oxford hospital what is shocking as if everything was ok than they would not send me for extra check ups .. :( i am not sure if i should start worry as it is my first baby . And i do love to bits my bby boy Ethan and i am sceard and i am not so sure what to do and if i should be worry

OP I'd start a new thread if I was you. This one isn't even about babies hearts.

I'm sorry you're scared. I don't have any experience of baby heart shaped to offer you, but hugs.

Hi so I know this thread is old but apparently there are no current threads about this,
I’m 30 this year and have no children, been with my partner for nearly 13 years.
I found out I have a bicornuate uterus about 6 years ago and it’s been an issue for me since, Since I found out it was more important to me to try and have children a bit earlier than I had really ever thought I would but my partner was never ready and he still isn’t ready, to be honest I don’t think he ever will be. I worry more and more each year I get older that it’s never going to happen and since I’ve found out I have it I have researched more and more about pregnancy and age so I know it’s more difficult and risky from 30 plus :( I know that my womb is split right down the middle because I know they were initially concerned I had 2, but it’s been confirmed that there is only 1 but it practically in 2 halves. So what I would like to know is if there is anyone who is the same as me and have you had any children successfully? Have you suffered many miscarriages? Did you have any over 30? Any other advice you can share would be lovely.
I’m really at a loss with it all and I even find it hard to think about and read about now because I feel like it’s going into a panic attack and I can’t function :(

Thank you

Hey,

I'm not really sure I can be of much help. But I'm currently around 5 weeks pregnant with a diagnosed bicornuate womb. I've done a lot of reading - frankly, there isn't much research around the topic - and I feel like the best thing you can do is talk to a midwife who is slightly more knowledgable than any of us. If you aren't pregnant already, then you can have minor surgery to fix your womb to increase your chances. I was too late for surgery as I never meant to fall pregnant.

I really wish I had got the surgery sooner as I wouldn't be in two minds of keeping my baby as the one thing that upset me most was the birth defects. But reading the previous forum, it seems like they are of low chance of happening.

If I were you, I would get the surgery to fix your womb if you can. I just pray I don't lose my baby

Hi there,
I have a similar problem. Conceived naturally at 32 years of age and delivered successfully last month at week 37 of gestation with no complications .
All the best !

Hi,
I have a bicornuate uterus diagnosed at my 12 week scan. I had a miscarriage last year before I new about my uterus.
I am now 16 weeks pregnant and 31 this year.

@Pas4 I have a bicornuate uterus and have three children. The pregnancies weren't without their complications but they are all healthy happy children now. I don't want to scare you by going into tons of details when you are clearly already anxious. What I will say is it is really important to get a good consultant that knows their stuff about bicornuate uterus and its potential issues so you get the right care and monitoring. Too many doctors told me on my third pregnancy it would make no difference even though it already had with my two previous, clearly the knowledge isnt there, I felt much more relaxed with the consultant and professor being honest and giving me risks but also plans in place so they were monitoring and could act on any issue arising.
Feel free to PM me if you want to know anything else.

I have been getting a lot of cramping. Is this normal with a bicornuate womb? My sister who has normal.womb said she never got this much cramping

I have bicornate uterus (only slightly heart shaped though) Ive had 2 mmc carriages before 6 weeks in the past year and now I'm 16+2 and so far so good fingers crossed, ino my story isnt all posative but I wanted to be honest, wishing you health and sticky baby dust.

@x0gawjus0x if you have no experience why post a ream of info about it? Did you feel an overwhelming need to comment on something you've got no experience of?