Bicornuate Uterus: Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment & Fertility Outcomes

If you have a bicornuate uterus, that means your uterus is heart-shaped. The uterus is the organ in a woman’s body that holds a baby. This condition is sometimes referred to as a heart-shaped womb, as it actually looks like a heart. The shape of your uterus is crucial if you have become pregnant, as it affects how the baby lies with a defect in the shape, size, or structure of the uterus. A bicornuate uterus is one of the common types of uterine irregularities. In this blog, we will find out more about a heart-shaped uterus and what the symptoms and causes are behind it.

What is a Bicornuate Uterus?

A bicornuate uterus, commonly referred to as a heart-shaped uterus, occurs when the upper part of the uterus, namely the uterine horns, forms as a two-horned structure despite having a single united uterine cavity. Think of it as an imaginary division of the uterus into two equal parts that creates an indentation or depression at its top end. This is not a condition that appears suddenly; rather, it is a congenital Mullerian anomaly, meaning a person is born with it. The development of such a uterine anomaly takes place in the prenatal stage because of the partial development of the ducts of the uterus.

Causes of Heart-Shaped Uterus Pregnancy

When looking for the causes of a bicornuate uterus, the only thing we can say about them is that we don't know the exact cause for anyone in particular. As we already mentioned above, a bicornuate uterus is a congenital Mullerian anomaly that means this kind of uterus develops when a female baby is still developing in its mother's womb. While two structures called the Müllerian ducts should properly develop into a uterus during development, the most reliable answer is again "we don't know the exact cause for anyone".

When it comes to the causes of a bicornuate uterus, the simplest answer is: we don’t know the exact reason for any individual.

Since a bicornuate uterus is a congenital Müllerian anomaly, it means the condition develops while a female baby is growing inside her mother’s womb. During this early developmental stage, two structures, known as the Müllerian ducts, are supposed to fuse completely to form one single uterus. In the case of a bicornuate uterus meaning, this fusion is only partial, leaving the uterus divided.

There is absolutely no clue as to why it occurs to some and not to others. It is not caused by anything you did or didn’t do, nor is it linked to lifestyle, diet, or environmental factors. It is simply a developmental difference.

What are the signs of a heart-shaped uterus?

A heart-shaped uterus does not present with symptoms at all, especially before pregnancy occurs. This is because of the absence of symptoms; women who have a heart-shaped uterus would never come across such a condition until they undergo ultrasonography. But still, there are certain symptoms for women having a bicornuate uterus, such as:

How can a heart-shaped uterus be diagnosed?

Of course, if you experience any of those symptoms listed above, then you should see your health care provider. Some of the examinations done by doctors include:

Physical examination of the woman's pelvic area

Heart-shaped uterus ultrasound, which is also known as Hysterosalpingogram, is the X-ray of the womb and the fallopian tubes filled with dye fluid

Ultrasound examination, where high-frequency sounds make images of the uterus.

Does a heart-shaped uterus influence your fertility?

According to most medical professionals, while some other problems with the uterus may be linked to fertility issues, the heart-shaped uterus will not normally have any negative effect on your ability to get pregnant or have the fetus implanted in the lining of the uterus. In other words, in terms of conception, you will face no problems, yet complications arise during pregnancy.

Pregnancy and a heart-shaped uterus

The ability to get pregnant will not be influenced by the heart-shaped uterus. Nevertheless, it poses some risks for a good pregnancy due to increased miscarriage rates. It is suggested that this is caused by decreased space within the uterus. Besides, abnormal contractions may occur.