Uterine Malformation

A small percentage of women have some kind of malformation in the uterus that can make it difficult to conceive and successfully carry a pregnancy. In some cases, women are born with an abnormally developed uterus.

Different types of congenital uterine malformations.

Many uterine malformations can be traced all the way back to the fetus. Early in a pregnancy, a female fetus develops a tubular system called Müllerian ducts. These ducts are supposed to fuse together to form a uterus in the fetus. If this fails to happen, the female can be born with a malformed uterus.

A bicornate uterus is the most common congenital uterine malformation. The uterus, instead of being pear-shaped, is formed like a heart. Inside, there's a wall that gives the embryo less space to grow than in a normally–shaped uterus. Surgery may be performed to correct this condition and create a larger uterine cavity.

A septate uterus is a uterus that is divided by a wall on the inside. In some cases, this wall can extend the entire length of the uterine cavity to the cervix. To correct this condition, surgery is performed to remove the septum. The procedure is performed either hysteroscopically or via a laparoscopy with an abdominal incision.