A woman with a rare medical condition has opened up about the moment she realized her body might be different.
At 27, she has been living with complete uterus didelphys, a rare congenital condition where an individual is born with two uteruses, as described by Cleveland Clinic.
This condition, also known as ‘double uteruses,’ affects only about 0.3 percent of the American population.
In light of how uncommon this condition is, she decided to use Reddit as a platform to invite questions regarding her experience with uterus didelphys.
She wrote on Reddit’s popular ‘Ask Me Anything’ (AMA) page: “I (27F) have complete uterus didelphys, resulting in 2 uteruses, 2 cervixes, and almost 2 vaginas. (We joke that I have 1 & a half of them.) I had suspicions something was off for a long time, but didn’t get diagnosed until I was in my early-mid twenties. I have given birth to one child. Ask me anything!”
Curious about her ‘suspicions’ and how she felt ‘off,’ one user asked for more details, calling her condition ‘fascinating.’
“I always had a feeling something was different, but I couldn’t pinpoint what,” she responded. “I would have very painful periods (which I thought was just luck of the draw) and even when using a tampon, I would continue to bleed and still have to use liners/pads. I thought everyone had to do this.
“Also, when feeling around inside, sorry if this is TMI, but I can only describe it as feeling like there were 2 ‘tunnels.’ Sex was also painful/uncomfortable at times, but again, for some reason I thought this was normal.”
Although uterus didelphys itself doesn’t have specific ‘symptoms,’ the woman’s experiences with her menstrual cycle can be a potential indicator.
Mayo Clinic notes: “Women who have a double vagina along with a double uterus may first see a health care provider for menstrual bleeding that isn’t stopped by a tampon. This can happen when a tampon is placed in one vagina, but blood still flows from the second uterus and vagina.”
This condition may also be discovered during a routine pelvic exam or if a woman suffers from multiple miscarriages, a known complication of uterus didelphys.
Further complications can include infertility, premature birth, and kidney issues. However, those with this rare condition can still experience successful pregnancies.