treatment at a Sharjah fertility centre, has been diagnosed
with the unique ‘uterus didelphys’.
A rare medical complication that is born out of the
malformation of the womb, where it presents as a paired
organ – a double womb.
According to Dr Daamini Shrivastav, of fertility clinic
Conceive in Sharjah, who has been treating the woman, this
complication is seen 1 in every 2,000 women worldwide.
“Most women go through life completely oblivious to the
fact they have it which is what is interesting. If they're
healthy and fit and fertile it doesn't interfere with their lives
at all,” she adds.
“Sometimes the first sign may be recurrent miscarriages.
Infertility can also be a presenting feature. In about 25 per
cent of women who have uterine malformations, they could
also have associated kidney malformations because the
kidney and the uterus develop very close to each other.”
The doctor adds that while “the figures for this part of the
world are not known. It is probably higher in areas where
there is a greater incidence of consanguineous marriages
(marriages between close blood relatives).”
The lady had approached the Conceive Hospital in Sharjah
after being unsuccessful to conceive. “She was married for
five years and had two miscarriages, within just three
months into the pregnancy,” points out the doctor.
After undergoing multiple investigations in her home
country, she was diagnosed with a Bicornuate uterus or a
womb with two horns.
“When we examined her, we found that she had a double
vagina and double cervix as well. Her ultrasound scan
confirmed the presence of double wombs, and both ovaries
were seen.”
Uterus Didelphys, she explains, occurs due to a
developmental malfunction.
“Somewhere in the developmental process as a foetus the
fallopian tubes do not come together resulting in formation
of a double womb.”
Dr Daamini confirms that “most women aren’t even aware
they have the condition until they become pregnant and get
an ultrasound scan done. If she gets an ultrasound about
eight weeks into her pregnancy, chances are the ultrasound
technician would spot the extra womb.
“But if the woman does not get an ultrasound until 20
weeks or more, the womb housing the fetus might have
grown big enough to overshadow the extra womb in which
case the ultrasound technician might not see it.”
It is interesting to note that the “twin wombs take up about
as much space as a single uterus, which is about the size of
a pear. Together they resemble a valentine’s heart, each
having a round top and a tapered bottom.”
Dr Daamini suggests ultrasound, sonohysterogram,
magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), hysterosalpingography
and 3-D ultrasound sonography as the diagnostic
processes that could help identify the condition.
She insists that no surgery is advised to alert the situation.
“Although surgery may help sustain a pregnancy if there is
partial division within the uterus and no other medical
explanation for a previous pregnancy loss.”
“Patients may need special attention during pregnancy as
premature birth is common. C-section may be required in
management of these patients during delivery.”
The doctor adds they have succeeded in managing her
insulin levels from her PCOS and once her menstrual cycle
is completed, she will be prepped for an IUI (intrauterine
insemination). What is different about this case is that we
will of course be injecting the sperm from her husband into
both cervixes.”
Source:emirates247
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