Bicornuate uterus

randa375

i found out 2 weeks before we found out we were pregnant that I have a bicornuate uterus, meaning heart shaped uterus. My question is has anyone else dealt with this? I'm 20 weeks as of yesterday and I'm a little nervous that I haven't felt him kick yet. Can someone please put my mind at ease?

jackieanddan1989

I have a septate uterus, which is different (I have a wall dividing my uterus in two, you have two separate cavities) but poses very similar risks. Baby has less room to grow and it increases the risk of preterm labor. The good news is that every woman is different. Some women with these abnormalities, either septate or bicornuate, carry to full term without any issues. With both of these conditions, you could have either a partial or a full anomaly- if your uterus is heart shaped that means (I think, but check with your doc, because some use different terms to describe it) that you probably have a partial bicornuate instead of a full because if you had a full bicornuate you have two completely separate cavities instead of a heart shape. Having a partial instead of a full is a good thing because it will give baby more room to grow - turns out I have a partial septate. My advice is to ask your doctor a lot of detailed questions. Ask if you have a partial or a full. Ask if the baby is growing well unrestricted so far. The fact that you have made it this far is a really good sign mama best of luck to you! Ps I don't think these anomalies affect being able to feel movement, but it's normal either way not to have a felt a kick yet at 20 weeks, especially if it's your first and/ or you have an anterior placenta

jackieanddan1989

A graph I found to be helpful in understanding what it all really meant- sometimes doctors explain things in really vague terms

jackieanddan1989

That's great news that you don't have two separate cavities! It increases your chance of going to full term Did they call it arcuate?

randa375

Thank you so much for the advice. They did confirm at our 17 week ultrasound that he was definitely a boy and that I don't have 2 separate cavities, they Called it something but now I can't remember what it was. I think I just worry way to much. I don't feel all the flutters everyone always talks about, in fact I've only felt those twice but every now and a again I feel what feels like drumming but it isn't very often so I tend to worry. It is my first one, we tried for 4 years before it finally happened. I go back on Wednesday for another ultrasound and it will make me feel so much better to see him on the screen.

randa375

They said it looked like it was separated by a......crap I can't remember, it started with an S though. But she said it didn't look like it was 2 separate uteruses and that's what they were afraid of

jackieanddan1989

Oh ok. Possibly they said septum which would be a septate uterus, it's hard for them to tell the difference between the two in anultrasound. But either way that's good news. I know I had a big sigh of relief when they said mine was partial and not complete.

randa375

Yes septum! That's what it was. I guess I'm just so nervous because of the movement but I guess being my first one it is still early. Maybe I'm just to anxious. They did say I will probably have a c section because he will probably be breeech

jackieanddan1989

I've been told the same. The good news is that with each pregnancy your uterus stretches more, so they told me that second/third pregnancies typically have less complications.

randa375

Thank you for your help. You put my mind at ease, I was a basket case a few hours ago thinking to much

af2004rn

I have a bicornuate uterus (BU). It has not prevented me from having full term babies. My first was breech (which is common in the first pregnancy for a bicornuate uterus) and so they did a c-section. My second was a 41 week normal spontaneous labor. Basically, I wouldn't worry about it. The doc may do a growth ultrasound in the third trimester. Most women don't know they have a bicornuate uterus unless it's discovered for fertility treatments, routine early pregnancy ultrasounds or during a c-section. I worked in OB and many mom's delivered healthy full-term babies before they even knew they had a BU. 

There is a support group on Yahoo that I found very helpful. 

https://groups.yahoo.com/group/MullerianAnomalies/

fourthtimesacharm

Nerd alert, I freaken love this stuff! Do you want to know why it happens? When a female fetus (I'm talking about you, not you LO) is developing, the uterus starts as 2 tubes that gradually merge into one. Sometimes part or all of the septum remain. Usually it's not diagnosed until pregnancy, sometimes not until birth. There have even been cases of women who have a seperate uterus and are pregnant with fraternal "twins" that are actually different gestational ages, one on each side. K, I'm done.
Good Luck and your OB should be able to answer all your questions.

randa375

My ob has answered a lot of my questions I guess I'm just still nervous. We were going to the dr because we were havig difficulty getting pregnant, on August 7 I had an ultrasound done, on August 14 my ob confirmed I did indeed have a bicornuate. She had told me when I started my period to come back in and they would to the hcg dye test to see everything inside of there. I never started my period to go back in for more testing because on August 29 I took a test and it was positive. On November 12 I had 3 ultrasounds done to find out if I did have one and the high risk ob said I did as well but she said it looked like it was separated by a septum and I wasn't sure what that meant. I guess with this being my first one im just nervous. We waited so long on it to happen I just let my anxiety get the best of me sometimes. I go back this Wednesday to have another ultrasound done, I do get to have them once a month, to see our little man. I think that will ease my mind a lot.

be888

A uterus abnormality cannot be diagnosed by ultrasound only. I have an arcuate uterus, which is a variation of a normal uterus, but it looks like a bircornuate on ultrasound. It was diagnosed with an MRI. A true bicornuate, affects the fundus (the outside layer of your uterus). Even an Hysterosalpingography (HSG) will not diagnose one, as it only gives an inside view of the uterus and Fallopian Tubes. FWIW, I carried my son to 41w2d, and unless you have an anterior placenta it would not affect your ability to feel the baby.

fourthtimesacharm

I had 3 miscarriages and the specialist I saw ordered an u/s for me to check for BU at the end of June. He said the HSG was the next step, but I got my BFP before then. He told me that the concern was implantation on the septum b/c it does not necessarily have adequate blood flow to support the pregnancy/placenta. @randa375‌ I'm glad they're watching you and your LO so closely!