Dr. Marjorie Greenfield
Specializing in pregnancy and birth.
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 Ask Dr. Greenfield
Double Uterus Detected When Trying for Third Child | | | QUESTION | | | Dear Dr. Greenfield,
I have been married now for four years. I have the greatest husband in the world. He adopted my two children from previous relationships, and we would like to have another baby. We thought instantly that there must be something wrong with him because I have already had two children. He had the sperm count done, which came back saying that he had a normal count and that they appeared healthy. I decided to get checked. It turns out that I have a double uterus and possibly a double cervix. Then I had a hysterosalpingogram done, and only one of my tubes was clear. The doctors cannot give me fertility pills for risk of multiple births? What is your thought or opinion on this? Is there nothing else that can be done? I was able to get pregnant before with no problems, now we've tried for four years with no results. I don't understand what has happened.— Kim in Columbus, Ohio | | | ANSWER |
October 18, 2001 | | | Dear Kim,
This is really a strange tale--and I am sure a very frustrating one for you. Here you are in a good marriage and at a good time of life to have a child, and nothing is happening. Then they tell you that there is something the matter with your uterus and tubes that may be contributing to the infertility and that there isn't anything to be done. And yet you conceived just fine at least twice before. No wonder you are confused about what this means.
Obviously you can't be totally infertile from your double uterus, since you would have had that all your life and you have two children already. Your uterine shape clearly wasn't a major problem for carrying a pregnancy. Could the tubal obstruction have come after your children were conceived? This is possible, but the more important question is--what can you do to increase the chances of getting pregnant?
I don't have the expertise to answer whether you would benefit from fertility drugs or from in vitro fertilization. A fertility specialist, who is a gynecologist specially trained and board certified in reproductive endocrinology, would be the best consultant for you. You can get this referral from your regular doctor, or by checking out the listings on the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) website at www.asrm.org/search/providersearch.html. Good luck!— by Marjorie Greenfield, M.D. |
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