Definition:
Double uterus or uterus didelphys is a condition characterized when the tubes (which start out as two small tubes in a female fetus) don't join completely to create one hollow organ which is the uterus, but instead each one develops into a separate cavity as the fetus develops.
Diagnosis:
In diagnosing a double uterus, the doctor conducts a routine pelvic exam and observes a double cervix or an unusually shaped uterus. Suspecting an abnormality, he or she may recommend tests such as MRI, Hysterosalpingography, Ultrasound, Laparoscopy and Hysteroscopy.
Treatment:
Treatment is rarely needed if you have a double uterus but no signs or symptoms. If you have a partial division within your uterus, surgical procedures might be helpful in uniting double uterus but this is rarely done.
Symptoms and Signs:
Even during pregnancy and childbirth, some women never realize that they have a double uterus where its symptoms include an abnormal bleeding during a period, such as blood flow despite the use of a tampon, a mass in the pelvis and unusual pain before or during a menstrual period.
Causes:
The causes of double uterus are still unknown to researchers but the condition may be associated with kidney abnormalities, suggesting that something may influence the development of these related tubes before birth.
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