The time comes when the girl realizes that she is ready to become a mother. Moreover, everyone does not even think that she may have any problems in this area. It seems that everything is simple - she became pregnant when she wanted to, carried a baby and gave birth without problems. What is it, a normal natural process through which many women went through. And when something doesn’t go according to plan, fear and the question arises inside: “Why with me?”
First pregnancy
Rarely, someone planning a pregnancy undergoes a full examination and knows for sure about all the features of his body. And the first pregnancy or unsuccessful attempts to get pregnant is the period when unpleasant moments can open. During an ultrasound, a woman can find out that she has a pregnancy with a two-horned uterus. And this may be cause for concern.
Such a discovery is not a reason for hopeless despair and fears, but the two-horned uterus belongs to the category of pathologies, because there are still some peculiarities and nuances of the course of pregnancy. This has a significant effect on its course. First, we will nevertheless clarify the question of what a bicornuate uterus is and why it has an irregular structure.
Abnormal structure of the uterus
There are many pathologies for the development of internal organs, and the uterus is no exception in this case. The bicorn uterus is a pathology when the organ has an abnormal structure. You need to understand that this is a serious problem, the course of pregnancy is complicated, and such a pathology is an occasion for increased control by the gynecologist.
Such an anomaly of the structure is congenital, a deviation occurs already in the prenatal period, when the embryo grows, and in the first trimester there is a laying and development of internal organs. During this period, a malfunction may occur, caused by severe intoxication or some diseases of the mother. When a girl is born, she already has this problem. Of all the possible pathologies of abnormal development of the uterus, bicorn is considered the most common. It occurs in different forms and degrees of severity, so you should not attribute the diagnosis and scary forecasts to yourself.
How does a malformed uterus affect pregnancy?
Such a diagnosis does not mean at all that now a woman will not be able to have children. In this position, you can get pregnant, but it is worth following the advice of doctors, as well as a little patience. The uterus has congenital modifications, in its upper region there is a division into two parts, they resemble horns. Horns can be symmetrical and fully developed, or one can be larger than the second. In each of these horns, pregnancy can occur. There is also a saddle uterus, it has a different shape. All these developmental abnormalities can lead to uterine infertility. Pregnancy with a two-horned uterus may not occur at all. This is what becomes the main factor for concern.
Pregnancy has come
The abnormal structure of the uterus does not mean that there will necessarily be problems with conception. Future mothers can learn about the anomaly only by registering for pregnancy, and such a diagnosis puzzles them greatly.
A bicornuate uterus can also manifest itself before pregnancy with amenorrhea and menstrual irregularities, painful menstruation. But these same symptoms can be with other gynecological diseases. So during pregnancy, a woman may first hear that something is wrong with her. A taciturn doctor may say that the patient has a two-horned uterus and pregnancy in the left horn, without going into details. No doctor wants to scare the expectant mother with possible complications, but they are quite real.
Possible complications
Even with a normal uterus, problems can occur during pregnancy. And what does a two-horned uterus mean during pregnancy, what risks can arise during this period? What can happen:
- In the early stages of pregnancy, a breakdown occurs. The risks that a woman cannot bear the fetus are many times greater. This is due to the fact that the uterus with an elongated shape does not allow the fetal egg to attach properly. The two-horned uterus has a thinner inner layer, and for attachment of the embryo this is bad.
- Premature birth. The uterus of irregular shape is worse stretched. Usually it is smaller.
- A two-horned uterus and pregnancy in the right horn restrict the baby's movement. This becomes the reason that the baby is in the wrong position, and there is a pelvic presentation, oblique or transverse.
- When the embryo is attached very low, there is a high probability that placenta previa will develop.
- Pregnancy with a two-horned uterus can be accompanied by leakage of amniotic fluid.
- Pregnancy is interrupted at different times due to the fact that the cervix cannot hold the fetus and opens before the due date. When this happens, doctors talk about cervical insufficiency.
- Pregnancy in a rudimentary horn (poorly developed) is equated to an ectopic pregnancy, these two points are considered an indication for abortion.
- With this structure, insufficient blood circulation causes placental abruption.
Despite all the possible complications, with a two-horned uterus, a second pregnancy is also possible. This is very rare, but such cases have been recorded in medical practice.
Uterine discharge during bipod pregnancy
In addition to the symptoms that are inherent in all pregnant women, in the form of toxicosis or increased fatigue, the owners of the bicorn uterus also face such a problem as discharge. In the first trimesters, spotting may appear, they can be both dark and bright. If something suspicious started to happen in the body, then you should immediately consult a doctor. Most often, a woman is recommended complete rest and hospitalization. If the fetal egg is attached to the side wall or the bottom of the uterus, then this will provoke bleeding. The internal uterine pharynx may be blocked by a low attached embryo. In this case, the woman feels pain, which is the first stage of abortion.
Likelihood of problems
With such a structure of the uterus, problems arise in pregnant women. But not all at once and not at all with the same difficulty a pregnancy proceeds. For periods of up to two months, 35% of women with pregnancy with a two-horned uterus have bleeding. 45% have partial placenta previa.
Bleeding can open much later, after thirty weeks of pregnancy, in the last trimester. This means that in the place of presentation, the placenta can no longer stretch, and the uterus continues to grow and detachment begins. This leads to premature birth, often they end with a caesarean section. If a woman has a two-horned uterus and pregnancy in the right horn, then you need to understand, then there is absolutely no difference if the pregnancy was in the left horn. The manifestations and condition of the woman in these cases will not be any different.
Horned egg
If a fetal egg is attached in one of the horns, it does not really matter which one. The two-horned uterus and pregnancy in the left horn do not give any particular manifestations. Most importantly, there should be a good supply in this place, capillaries and vessels should be in sufficient quantity. The more the uterus is underdeveloped, the farther away from each other are the horns. The best option for a two-horned uterus is for the fetal egg to be well fixed in it. If fixation occurs in any of the horns, then an increased load on the genital organ occurs. If the embryo is attached to a place with insufficient nutrition, then the pregnancy will terminate itself, a miscarriage will occur.
Treatment of a bicornus
As mentioned above, you can become pregnant and have a baby even with this pathology. But there are cases when pregnancy with a two-horned uterus does not occur, or else miscarriages occur at different stages in a woman. There are already many questions about possible methods of treatment and solution to this problem.
One of the effective methods is an operation during which an intrauterine septum is removed and a single uterine cavity is artificially created. Often this is the only right decision and allows the expectant mother to bear the child without difficulty. There are time limits, you can get pregnant no earlier than a year later. It is necessary to give time for the tissues to grow together, if these terms are not maintained, then when the uterus is stretched, the uterus can rupture in this place and internal bleeding will open. This is dangerous not only the death of the child, but also the mother.
Features of the course of pregnancy
All women in a position with such a structure of the uterus are under the tight control of gynecologists. Pathology can make itself felt at any stage of pregnancy. The doctor should monitor the symptoms and do everything possible so that the pregnancy is preserved and the fetus develops correctly.
When the uterus is incomplete, then the blood circulation in it may be impaired, in connection with this, the fetus may have oxygen starvation. In this case, so that the child does not suffer, Caesarean section is performed from 28 weeks. There is good news - such a pregnancy can take place without pathologies, minor violations can be observed. Pregnancy with a two-horned uterus and discharge almost always occur together. But with blood discharge you need to be careful, they can appear at any stage of pregnancy, the doctor should be aware of this. Since this can be a clear symptom of a threat, this process cannot be stopped.
Pregnancy and childbirth
If the embryo clings to the wrong place, spontaneous abortion usually occurs in the first trimester, the fetus simply does not have enough nutrition, and it becomes unviable. Risks are associated with a small space in the horn, the fetus is not enough space for development. Bleeding during pregnancy with a two-horned uterus does not always indicate the danger of a breakdown. However, caution is advised. We have already talked about the difficulties, but not everything is so simple when we talk about the two-horned uterus and pregnancy. The reviews of women who have come this way, in fact, give hope and confidence that everything can be fine.
Women note that the onset of pregnancy can be difficult, there is uterine hypertonicity, detachment of the ovum, but by the third trimester everything can normalize. A baby may be born with minor defects, such as torticollis and increased tonus, but this is easy to fix. With such a pathology, the baby may appear several weeks ahead of schedule.
As a rule, not all deliveries of the owners of the bicornal uterus end with surgical intervention, but there are cases when it is simply necessary for the safety of the mother and child. A photo of a bicornus during pregnancy allows you to see why the fetus is so problematic to be in it. There is simply not enough space for him.
Pregnancy planning
Ideally, pregnancy should be planned, before conception it is necessary to undergo examination, ultrasound of the female genital organs. Having heard about this diagnosis, it can be assumed that pregnancy can end in a miscarriage. To prevent this, some women want to have an operation on the uterus, so that in a year they can plan their pregnancies and have a baby without fear for their lives, but doctors don’t do it. The question of surgical intervention is raised after a woman has 2-3 miscarriages in a row or she can’t get pregnant at all. After the operation, an intrauterine device is installed for a woman for 6-8 months to exclude pregnancy at this time.
What to prepare for?
Naturally, everything connected with our body causes us a lot of emotions. No one wants to have problems in any area of their health. Any diagnoses already say that not everything is good. The increased risks of spontaneous abortion, strong feelings, the need to limit oneself to something - all this is very unpleasant, but women are ready to go for it for the desired motherhood.
Even with this diagnosis, pregnancy can go without complications if the body of the uterus is large enough. After surgery to correct the uterus, the risks of bearing are reduced by 60%. There are also assisted reproductive programs and technologies that can resolve this issue.
So do not be afraid of the bicorn uterus and pregnancy. Doctors' opinions on modern technologies of reproductive medicine are based on real practices. These cases are not isolated, and there are already many solutions for them.
Frozen pregnancy
With a rather high percentage of successful pregnancies, there are cases with an unfavorable outcome. At the first stages, the fetus can freeze and stop its development, the result is its death. This happens almost always if the egg clings to the septum, and not to the uterus. There are no blood vessels in the septa. The embryo does not receive food and dies.
In some cases, artificial insemination is carried out and the embryo is implanted to the place where it has the most chances for full development, where it will have sufficient nutrition and space for growth.
The most favorable option
This pathology has a variety called the saddle uterus. Such a deviation is considered one of the favorable options for the development of the fetus. This type can also cause miscarriage, but this is much less common. Up to 25% of women with a saddle uterus experienced premature birth. The position of the fetus in such a uterus is often oblique or transverse. Sometimes you have to do a cesarean. If childbirth takes place naturally, then such a uterus contracts for a long time and bleeds.
There are also cases when a twin pregnancy occurs, but then bicorn has nothing to do with it. Such a pregnancy is a high-risk group. Uterine ruptures may even occur . There were cases in medical practice when one of the fetuses was aborted, and the second child developed fully and was born at the time.
Pregnancy can simultaneously develop in two horns. Most often, a pregnancy with uterine pathology ends with an operation, but this does not detract from the joys of parents. After all, another person came into the world.
There are many physiological pathologies that are a contraindication for a woman to become pregnant and give birth. These problems are associated not only with the reproductive system, it can be heart disease, and kidney problems. For a sick body, pregnancy is a real test, and the risks are sometimes incredibly great.
But any woman wants to be a mother and for the sake of a child is even ready to sacrifice her life and health. Doctors always warn about all possible risks, they are obliged to do their part of the work, however, the final decision is still made in the family. A bicornuate uterus during pregnancy is not a sentence.