Q51.3: Bicornate uterus

You have a defect in your womb.

The uterus or womb sits in the pelvis and is pear-shaped. The narrower part extends downward into the vagina and is called the cervix. When a woman is pregnant, the child grows in her uterus. There is a canal in the cervix that connects the vagina to the inside of the uterus. The orifice at the end of this canal is called the mouth of the womb (ostium uteri). The mouth of the womb is visible during an internal examination of the vagina.

While developing in the womb, many different types of tissue develop in the body. The organs and body parts develop out of the various types of tissue.

The womb develops out of 2 adjacent tubes of tissue. As they develop, the lower sections of these two tubes usually merge into one another. In this way, a single elongated cavity forms. The upper end of this cavity becomes the womb. The lower end of the cavity forms the cervix and the vagina.

If tissue fails to develop properly, defects can occur. When this defect of the womb occurs, the tubes of tissue do not merge properly into one another during development. There is a separating layer of tissue in the middle of your womb. As a result, the womb may consist of 2 cavities. Other tissue, for example the cervix or the vagina, may also be duplicated. One of the two womb's two cavities may then not be connected to the vagina. As a result, the menstrual blood can accumulate in the cavity. This can be painful. In the case of pregnancy, the defect in the womb can cause problems. These include premature births and miscarriages, for example.