Bicornuate uterus…

Back then I was so naive, and out of my depth with everything that was told to/at me.

You see, I say at me because it took me three miscarriages and one baby born at 36 week and one day to get the information I needed , and heath care provider that actually knew what she was talking about.

I should probably start by telling you that a bicornuate uterus is one of many anomalies women can be born with, and it is defined as :

uterine malformation that is produced due to impairment in the fusion of Mullerian ducts. The bicornuate uterus is a rare anomaly, but it is associated with worse reproductive outcomes; recurrent pregnancy loss and preterm labor are most common.

It can look similar to the image above, and instead of the break in the middle of the uterus you will find a membrane that divides the uterus in two.

And the joy of it, it can be of different seventies, from mild to severe.

I guess your next question will be How are uterine abnormalities diagnosed?

And the answer is :

2-dimensional (2D) ultrasound, 3D transvaginal ultrasound, saline infusion sonohysterography (SIS), hysterosalpingography (HSG), diagnostic hysteroscopy, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

And it is as pleasant as it sounds. And these are just the highlighted investigations you will need to have done, to be diagnosed(if you have this or any other uterine malformation).

Symptoms

Women with a bicornuate uterus are born with it, but they might not know they have it unless they had a imaging test. That’s because it often doesn’t cause any noticeable symptoms. Some women with a bicornuate uterus report the following symptoms:

irregular vaginal bleeding

repeated miscarriages

painful periods

abdominal discomfort

pain during intercourse

If you have a bicornuate uterus, you’ve had it your whole life, so any potential symptoms might seem just normal(because they are to you).

No I am by no mean a specialist in this. I feel like one, especially after caring my 10 week old fetus all the way to the waiting room of a early pregnancy assessment unit, only to start physically miscarrying him there, and then.

Nobody tells you when you are young the heart ache you can feel when that happens. No instead the will tell you all about how by holding a boys hand can get you pregnant. Nothing about how painstakingly hard it can be, or how by getting a diagnosis like this will put you at high risk during your pregnancy, how you might have to calculate what ovary you are ovulating from because you might have a dark and twisted uterus that makes it impossible to have a baby on one side of your uterus. And yes, I can get surgery to try and correct part of the situation, thing id the scaring left behind can cause other high risk issues too.

It can cause high risk of miscarriage, do it seems it doesn’t put women at risk of low fertility…don’t know how…

The best thing to do is educate yourself, find groups of women that have the same wonderful malformation, and last but not least don’t lose hope.

I’m a member of a wonderful Facebook group that is especially made for this diagnosis, and there is so much support, knowledge and most of all wonderful stories that give me hope and power for the future.

I’ve learned that yes, it is in my power to make a baby, but if it doesn’t happen and another miscarriage is in my future it probably is for the best, and I need to move on. And by the best, I mean maybe it was not meant to be, and I need to move on accept it and be grateful for what I have.

I will never forget all the names I had piked out in my mind, all the love that grew in me for that soul that never came to be.

I like to imagine that he or she went on to be born in another family that loved them just as much, if not more then we did, or would have. And that maybe it wasn’t meant to be.

Life moves on, and we need to too, with support from our families, friends, and even support groups.

Hope this helps some of you. Keep strong, and remember you are not alone.Search for others , it takes a village. Good luck to you all.

And do not forget to be kind to yourself.