Did you know that 'uterus didelphys' affects one in every 3,000 women? Yet, it is hardly known about. It's a rare condition wherein you have two uteri, two cervices and sometimes two vaginas too.
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Read on to explore more about this lesser-known condition in women.
Double uterus and two cervices
It is quite unclear what causes uterine didelphys, it's difficult to pinpoint any risk factors, however, it's considered to be more frequent in women born with just one kidney.
A woman, Evelyn, 31, with two vaginas, two cervices and two wombs found out about her condition late in her life. She did experience initial symptoms like heavy period flow but didn't make anything out of it, until her twenties.
Now working for OnlyFans, Evelyn said:
People were mostly intrigued and had lots of questions rather than saying anything negative.
Dr Nick Raine-Fenning, spokesperson for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, tells Cosmopolitan that:
The uterus forms in utero by the fusion of two tubes. The wall between the tubes breaks down in its lower aspect leaving one womb and one cervix, whilst the upper parts stay separate and form the two Fallopian tubes.
The good news is that, despite the higher risk, women with the complication can still bear healthy infants. But, Dr Virginia Beckett, another RCOG spokesperson, reveals that contraception can get a little difficult sometimes as:
Often the two uteri are of unequal size, so fitting an intrauterine device to each may not be possible. However, the contraceptive pill would work just as it would for a woman with a single uterus.
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Common symptoms of Uterus Didelphys
Watch out for these signs and consult your gynaecologist.
- Heavy bleeding during your period
- Pain before or during your period
- Unusual cramping before or during your period
- Several miscarriages
- Early labor
- Pain during sex
