Pregnancies in a Bicornuate Uterus

I was diagnosed with a bicornate uterus in 1992.

Well, let me start from the beginning. Between the age of 31 and 32, I had two miscarriages (early term, about 8 or 10 weeks, each time). At a visit to the specialist, I was told that they wouldn't normally give any genetic type of tests unless there were three miscarriages.

This doctor agreed to some tests and after a battery of tests, decided to perform a laparoscopy. When I awoke from the surgery to learn that the doctor ended up removing the wall of the uterus which was forming the bicornate formation. I recovered well as if from a c-section.

I had a successful conception about six months later! I had been hoping for years to have a birth at home. Then I was sad to learn that the doctor advised against a vaginal birth because the surgery had removed some of the major uterine muscle. A contraction might rupture where the surgery was done which would jeopardize my life and the baby's life.

So, I had a successful (ceseaeran) birth at term and a beautiful baby boy!

I don't know what to say to help your friend; but I hope sharing my experience is helpful in some way. By the way, I have had two other baby boys (two more c-sections). I had started hating the c-sections but had to admit having healthy boys in whatever way was a good deal!

I don't have a bicornuate uterus, but I do ultrasounds. I have done scans on numerous pregnant women that have a bicornuate uterus and don't even realize it. We just note it as in the "Lt" or "Rt" side of the uterus. The pregnancies go normally. If your friend is concerned, she could try speaking with a fertility specialist, or another reputable ob/gyn. There is no point in being overly concerned until she has all the facts (sometimes by more than one dr). As far as the other comment, the bicornuate uterus may not have been the reason for the miscarriages. Women who do not have bicornuate have miscarriage all the time. It can be God's way of taking care of a pregnancy that would not have been well.
Good luch to your friend!!

A few years ago I previous surgery to remove cysts and endo. We tried getting pregnant and had a difficult time in doing so, but it was b/c the relay mechanism between my brain and uterus was interrupted due to more endo growth. At that time, I also found out that I had a uterine septum. I had that void space removed via laproscopy and the endo cleaned up once again and got pregnant two months later. It was not a big deal after it was all over, but more bothersome that my body just will not cooperate. Your friend may very well become pregnant, but depending upon how big the void space is, the baby may not have room to grow and abort itself or it may attach to the void area on the uterus and not be able to implant. Hope this helps.

I have delivered many moms over the years with bicorn/bifrac uteruses. It will depend on how much and where her diviation/septum is. Encourage her to seek more testing and get the information! The problem is and can be 2 fold: 1. the shape of the uterus can prevent progression to a term or viable pregnancy and 2. repair can create scarring and also prevent implantation. it very much is a case by case basis. the outcomes range from multiple term viable pregnancies to infertility. it is common for most women to have miscarrages, some of which the mom may never have known she was pregnant! so if she has a miscarrage it may or may not be related to uterine shape. send her well wishes and encourage her to investigate! not all children come to us through our uterus! and use of uterus does not make a mommie! the love of our children does! however those children come to us!
blessings..R.

I had a septum in my uterus. I had two miscarriages when we initially wanted to have a baby. My doctor decided to go ahead and do testing to see if there was a reason. We did the genetic testing and several other things. Eventually I had a hysterosalpyngogram (sp?), which is a test that was painful and not quite accurate. In it they inject fluid into the non-pregnant uterus and do an ultrasound or x-ray. It showed that my uterus was bicornuate initially. However, upon going to a new doc (fertility specialist) I got scheduled for an MRI that showed it was not bicornuate, but a septum (or wall) down the middle of my uterus. I had read in all the research I did at the time, that there a many women who have a bicornuate uterus that are able to have normal pregnancies. The same cannot be said for women with a septum. Since the septum does not have as good a blood flow as the rest of the uterus, the doc recommended I have surgery to remove it. This would open more of the uterus and give the embryo a better chance at implantation. It was an outpatient laporoscopic/hysteroscopic surgery. After the surgery I waited through two cycles and became pregnant the first time we tried. I was able to carry to term with no problems. I say all of this because, she needs to be certain of the diagnosis. An MRI can best tell the condition of the uterus. The ultrasounds are not as acurate. I would suggest seeing a doctor who specializes in fertility. Once I was pregnant I went to him for 3 months and then went back to my original OB for the remainder. I am not certain but believe a bicornuate uterus can be corrected too. Hope this helps.

To the poster who had the wall removed-
that's great! I have had four c-sections and for some reason they haven't said the wall in mine can be removed. But they started out saying that the wall was great then 2/3 and now apparently it's just heart shaped so hopefully it will help. I have had miscarriages, as well as have PTL at 26 weeks each time. My babies were delivered via c-section at 32, 34,36 and 37 weeks, all breech.

But I'm planning a VBA4C! We'll see how it goes. We're hoping to turn the baby before it gets too big.

As for the bicorneate uterus, I have heard of women having babies (I know that's a little different then the septum, and probably worse...) Sorry I can't be of more help in that specific situation. When I delivered the first time they just told me that I could never have more children and that it was a miracle she lasted as long as she did and wasn't born too early to survive. They said I would either miscarry or deliver MUCH MUCH too early (like at 20 weeks) with all future pregnancies and that I HAD to have my tubes tied. I am very happy they were wrong!!

I have a bicornate uterus too. I've two children both arrived about 2 weeks early because they broke my water. Both had to be delivered by C-section, the first one was breach, the second one was tangled and I had already labored for 26 hours with broken water. In the end, midwifes and doctors said they don't really understand how the muscles in a septated uterus work, but they don't contract like normal ones. Mine just wasn't strong enough to get my younger one out. (78 hours of labor and only dilated 3 cm) I had at least one miscarriage and it is about placement in the uterous. You are at a higher risk, but I would encourage her to not dwell on it. All that anxiety isn't good. Have her do what she can to grow a healthy baby. Cut the junk food now, get plenty of protein, take those prenatal vitamins (get the organic ones Whole Foods/Sun Harvest ... might as well feed the new one right from the get go). If it is a big septation, then the child might not have a lot of room to grown. My older one treated me like a hammock the whole time and that is why he was able to get as big as he did 7 lbs 6 oz. (He did try and come out feet first though.)

Good luck,
L.