Bicornuate uterus

[Ranjhu]

I am 16 weeks pregnant with my first baby. I have been diagnosed with having a bicornuate uterus. My Ob/Gyn has informed me of my higher than normal risk of preterm labor. I am trying to get information from mothers who have this condition and how far along they carried the baby? I am terrified of having a very premature baby.

[AugustineM]

Hi! I also have a bicornuate uterus. I'm glad to talk to another mama who has this as well, because honestly I've never met anyone IRL who does.

I went full-term with DS. He was born on his due date! I was also told I'd be at a higher risk for preterm labor but it never happened. I never even had any PTL symptoms. DS was, however, breech. I had an emergency c-section because he was feet first when I went into labor. I found out that breech is MUCH more common than PTL in women with bicornuate uteri. In fact, appx. 65% of all babies are breech when the woman enters labor!

I've done TONS of research about it, so here's what I know... (besides the breech risk). Lots of the risk factors depend on how extreme your bicornuate symptoms are. Like, is your uterus fully divided in two? Or do you just have a "heart-shaped" uterus, with a small septum at the top? (That's what mine is.) I could see it on the ultrasound at 5 months -- it just looked like two little lobes at the top, but not extreme. The more pronounced your septum is, the more likely you are to have PTL issues, issues with fertility, placental issues, or miscarriage risk, from what I have heard. It would be good for you to know exactly what your uterus looks like. I had the ultrasound tech draw me a picture! Also, at 9 months, the ultrasound tech could not even tell I had a bicornuate uterus. He said the septum was so squished up that he couldn't see it.

Also, apparently BCU is actually fairly common as far as uterine abnormalities go. I think up to 10% of women have some variance of it... some don't even ever know!

Sooo, I'm now pregnant with #2, and worried about having another breech baby. Actually I'm worried that the shape of my uterus will cause me to have ANY baby breech. I wonder if that's just the way they fit. I'm seeing a chiropractor who specializes in the Webster technique, and I'm doing lots of optimum fetal positioning things. My midwife said they may try a version on me if this baby is breech at the end, but from what I've read it's risky to do one on a bicornuate uterus.

Anyway, hope that helps. I'll be keeping up with this thread to see if anyone else responds. YOu can also PM me if you want.

Don't stress too much about PTL. Unless your uterus is very abnormal, I think the risk is pretty small, even with bicornuate uterus.

Ashley

[sdmello]

I too need advice

Hi Ashley,

I too have a bicornuate uterus. And it was detected in an ultrasound 3 months back. So I visited my Gaenac, who suggested a laproscopy for a detailed investigation, but I concieved before I could go for it. Now I have been ordered complete bed rest for 4 months atleast. I have also been having slight spotting from the day i discovered my pregnancy (in the 5th week), a couple of days back. I am a bit worried about that, do have any sugegstions, or advice. All reports show that the baby is healthy, and I just hope that my uterus does not create problems for my baby.

Srijanee

[RinaSingh]

I need support and exchange of experiences on BC uterus!

Hi! I am about 5 weeks pregnant and I am very curious and nervous about it as I have a bicornuate uterus. I am going for a USG tom. and I will know how it would be very soon!!

[Starr]

Hello I also have a bicornuate uterus. No luck getting pregnant yet but my Dr. did say it was possible. His said based on my degree of it being split into two I would be considered more high risk and may have to have a schedule c section a little early depending on how much room the baby had. Again this was just to get me aware that there was a possibility but nothing would be decided until we could see how things were going.

[coloradoalice]

I have a friend that has a bicornate uterus. She was treated high-risk, but in the end she ended up with a nice normal vaginal birth!!

Good luck to you both, I hope that you are also able to have happy healthy pregnancies!

[OnTheFence]

Originally Posted by Ranjhu

I am 16 weeks pregnant with my first baby. I have been diagnosed with having a bicornuate uterus. My Ob/Gyn has informed me of my higher than normal risk of preterm labor. I am trying to get information from mothers who have this condition and how far along they carried the baby? I am terrified of having a very premature baby.

I am pregnant with number four. My last three babies were carried to 38, 38, and 36 weeks. There is a list on yahoo called Mullerian Anomalies that can give you all kinds of great info.

You are at risk of having a premature baby, position and the severity of your anomaly will play the biggest factors, plus placement of the placenta.

Let me know if you have any questions!

[OnTheFence]

Originally Posted by AugustineM

Sooo, I'm now pregnant with #2, and worried about having another breech baby. Actually I'm worried that the shape of my uterus will cause me to have ANY baby breech. I wonder if that's just the way they fit. I'm seeing a chiropractor who specializes in the Webster technique, and I'm doing lots of optimum fetal positioning things. My midwife said they may try a version on me if this baby is breech at the end, but from what I've read it's risky to do one on a bicornuate uterus.

Ashley

PLEASE can I Beg you not to do a version on a bicornuate uterus. Plus any OB who knowingly does one that has been cut on before is nuts! I had a version without knowing my uterine condition and it landed me in the OR as an emergency csection. Also your risk of rupture is also increased if your uterus is deformed. I've read it ranging from 3-20%. Definitely stick with Websters and if it doesnt work, just feel blessed with your healthy baby!

Actually I would prefer for this baby to be breech. My last one went head down and it was extremely painful, the top of my uterus where the septum was felt like it was ripping. My youngest son was vertex but in a weird way, his shoulder actually presented against my cervix. They had a hard time getting him out for the csection because of his position. My first baby was transverse, the main part of her body was in the right horn, and her legs hooked around the septum -- I looked pretty lopsided. These last three pregnancies though have all occurred on the left side (my smaller side) which appears to not been problematic.

[Yuba_River]

Hello all,

I've just had an ultrasound at 7 weeks and told it looks like I may have a bicornuate uterus. They won't be able to tell much more until 20 weeks with another ultrasound. It's hard not to know. So I guess I don't have much to add to this thread, but just wanted to say hello. Thanks for the information from those who have experienced this, and it's great to see some success stories!

[maxmama]

My mom had a bicornate uterus (with a septum), and here I am after 43 weeks gestation. 9+ pounds, too.

[Yuba_River]

Thank you, so good to hear!

[intorainbowz]

I have a bocorniate/septate uterus. These actually are different things. My RE tested and felt this was septate. I had a resection in 2004 because my septum was huge and there was no way I could grow a baby in there. The septum was also painfully stretching my uterus, but I did nto realize this until after the resection.

PLEASE have your doctor monitor very closly for IUGR. I had this and had to have a c/s at 34 weeks. My dd was 34 weeks, but was developmentally and size wise 29 weeks.

After my c/s my uterus was found to be acarnate, or heart shaped. My ob feels that I do have a bicorniate uterus, not just a septate one. The RE could not have known by the MRI, which showed a septate one, or the lap. She saw it once she lifted my uterus out to sew it up.

The true way to non-invasivly diagnose a septate versus bocirniate uterus is an MRI. Too many things are not able to be seen on a u/s. However in my case the MRI clearly showed a septum (textbook). And on actual visualization of the entire uterus, it was clear it was bicorniate.

I too spotted at 5 weeks. At first this was thought to be cervical, but after the IUGR and all other complications, we know this is placental. My placenta looked normal on the surface, but the patholgy report was very telling. It was very near failing.

I know a lot about this disorder, so ask away.

Anyone else also have PCOS? I do.

After my seputum resection, my RE told me I had a 50/50 chance of being able to deliver vaginally. He said I may or may not go into labor, if I do I may or may not deliver, or I would fail to progress and have a c/s. DD was born by scheduled c/s due to her IUGR. As a PP has mentioned, as I have a deformed uterus, I am at a high rupture rate, and all future babies will be born by scheduled c/s.

Please do not have a version, that could hurt the baby. If the baby is stuck in one of the horns, all that pushing could really hurt the spine/head.

[OnTheFence]

Hi Wendy!

I am glad you posted. Our uteri sound similar. In my last three full term (well 38, 38 and 36 week) pregnancies I had no problems with IUGR or placental issues. This time it looks like I may be facing some of those issues. I have been feeling all along this pregnancy was different but I was baseing that on the fact it was unplanned.
Right now my baby is measuring about 3 weeks behind my LMP. I have had some conflicting US, but my last two have shown slown growth. I have another one Jan. 15 and we will see where babe it at and I will discuss with my OB what the game plan is. I also have a low lying anterior placenta. Not cool when your uterus has been cut three previous times!

My uterus is heart shaped with a septum but its "slight" and not complete down the middle. I've never had surgery to correct it, mainly because I did have a full term pregnancy with a 7lb baby. I am considered a habitual aborter but I have not had a miscarriage in 7 years. I too have PCOS, and my cervix has issues too.

I want to know all about your placenta. Where was it located? What did they find wrong with it? When did you begin seeing the IUGR?

Kim

[ChristinaLucia]

Hi, another mama with a bicornuate uterus here. I also had a grapefruit sized fibroid and I carried the baby to 39 weeks with a scheduled C-Section. I was so worried about the baby, but it all worked out fine.

[intorainbowz]

If I remember correctly the placenta was posterior the entire time.

I spotted at 5 weeks 6 days, (Measured by ultrasound). At the time it was thought to be cervical, but we now belive this was placental. At delivery the placenta looked normal, but there were microscopic issues seen on the pathology exam. digging.... it's here somewhere. I'll post when I find it.

My APF was off the charts high when I had the test done at 15 weeks. We got the results back at 17 weeks, then had our first peri appointment at 18 weeks. Sydney measured 16 weeks 5 days at that time. I had every other week level II ultrasounds from then on. DD kept growing but the gap kept getting larger. She plateaued from week 32 to 34 and was delivered at 34 weeks. They believe this was all connected - that the spotting lead to the super high AFP, that the spotting was the first sign of placental insufficency which lead to the IUGR.

My Ob believes that inital implantation took place at the top, where the septum resection occured. It migrated the the back, which was the best spot I suppose.

The low lying placenta is not cool with surgeries. Hopefully it will migrate.

I have had a suspected miscarraige, but it was not confirmed. I had no cervix issues. My amniotic fluid was fairly low the entire time.

I did not ovulate, then I lost 30 pounds and got pregnant the first cycle off th pill. It was actually good I spotted when I did, as we got a very accurate measurment for dating purposes. From my LMP, I was a week behind when I should have ovulated.

My septum was very huge, and after it was removed I realized it had been causing me low level pain constantly.

Good luck. When I find my reports I'll post that. I could only find the u/s report from 18 weeks today.

[fishface]

I just found out my maternal grandmother had this. It was unknown until a hysterectomy. She delivered two healthy babies full-term and one preemie. I'm not sure how premature he was, but all were born in the 1940s and he ended up being fine. (and grew up to be a brilliant and highly-regarded doctor)

[Sal5]

Hi! On an encouraging note I have recently been diagnosed with a bicornuate uterus and have 2 children the first was prem at 35 weeks and the second delivered by C section on the day she was due.

However they were both breech and although I had a retained placenta with the first (so needed an operation just after vaginal delivery) and then had a C section with the second, they did not notice my unusual shaped womb. We decided to try for a 3rd child and sadly lost a baby at 14 weeks and then a baby recently at 22 weeks. Just before this at my 20 week scan they noticed that I had a bicornuate uterus. However they did not seem too concerned about it because I had delivered 2 babies already and simply mentioned that they would need to monitor the babies growth. But I was not booked for another scan for another 7 weeks!!

We are going for a follow up appointment with the conslultant soon to see if they can give any reasons for our babies death. Having now looked on the internet I am aware that the risks of PTL are higher and I really want to know what I need to ask them about my uterus and the possibility of having another baby. Here in the UK we have a free medical service but I do feel that they are quite relaxed in their approach. From reading on the internet in the US they automatically class this as a high risk pregnancy and order bed rest etc if necessary. We would love to try for another child. Nothing can replace our beautiful son but there is such a big empty hole in our lives now.

So does anyone have any advice for what to ask at the consultants appointment re bicornuate uteruses. Also I still don't fully understand the difference between septate and bicornuate. I am probably being really dense, but it would really help to understand this before I go.

Thanks

[Sal5]

Hi! On an encouraging note I have recently been diagnosed with a bicornuate uterus and have 2 children the first was prem at 35 weeks and the second delivered by C section on the day she was due.

However they were both breech and although I had a retained placenta with the first (so needed an operation just after vaginal delivery) and then had a C section with the second, they did not notice my unusual shaped womb. We decided to try for a 3rd child and sadly lost a baby at 14 weeks and then a baby recently at 22 weeks. Just before this at my 20 week scan they noticed that I had a bicornuate uterus. However they did not seem too concerned about it because I had delivered 2 babies already and simply mentioned that they would need to monitor the babies growth. But I was not booked for another scan for another 7 weeks!!

We are going for a follow up appointment with the consultant soon to see if they can give any reasons for our babies death. Having now looked on the internet I am aware that the risks of PTL are higher and I really want to know what I need to ask them about my uterus and the possibility of having another baby. Here in the UK we have a free medical service but I do feel that they are quite relaxed in their approach. From reading on the internet in the US they automatically class this as a high risk pregnancy and order bed rest etc if necessary. We would love to try for another child. Nothing can replace our beautiful son but there is such a big empty hole in our lives now.

So does anyone have any advice for what to ask at the consultants appointment re bicornuate uteruses. Also I still don't fully understand the difference between septate and bicornuate. I am probably being really dense, but it would really help to understand this before I go.

Thanks

[aprilmes]

I hope things went well with your pregnancy. I also have a bicornuate uterus. It was found after I miscarried at 10 weeks in 1999. I got pregnant in 2005 and immediately sought a high-risk specialist. Dr. Sehdev took great care of me. He checked my cervix every two weeks to make sure it wasn't incompetent. I delievered my daughter at 34 weeks, but now she is 20 months and happy and healthy!!

And don't be surprised if your baby has clubbed feet. My daughter did, but they are straightening otu on her own. She walked late because of it, but now I can't keep up with her she walks so fast :

[Sheal]

Another Bicorneated uterus here! 5 babies, 3 vaginal two c\s and one rupture!

Sheal