no boys allowed!

MENSTRUAL CYCLES, BLEEDING, AND TAMPONS.

Hopefully that will scare them off. Although, this is really interesting.

But clearly, in this diary, it is not today's topic. Today's topic is what the doctors told me! And it is all about my delightfully abnormal uterus. Or should I say uteri?

There are several types of uterine anomalies. What happens is - when women are little baby embryos themselves, they actually start out with something like (A) - there are two tubes that are SUPPOSED to fuse together to make the one normal uterus. Sometimes that doesn't happen at all (A), they partly fuse (B) and the septate uterus (not shown), and sometimes, things like (C) or (D) happen, when the tube never forms or doesn't even come close to the other mullerian tube. Pretty interesting, in my opinion.

Needless to say, I have (A) - uterus didelphys DUPLEX... which means, double vagina, double cervix, double uterus. How fun, huh? I guess. I found out in 2007 that I had this joyful setup.Can't say I was really overjoyed though, my first words were "How in the hell does that happen!?"

Uterine anomalies present all sorts of complications during pregnancy, depending on which variation you have. In all forms, it can commonly lead to an incompetent cervix and oftentimes miscarriage, because of the change in the vascular setup. Preterm birth and IUGR (intrauterine growth restriction) are also common concerns because of the lack of space within the uterine cavity. Breech presentation is also very common because of the abnormal shaping and size.

I was particularly blessed to have two very close to normal sized uterine cavities, and, as of now, both appear to be working just fine! The left side is slightly smaller than the right side, and both are about 3/4 the size of a normal uterus. In my mind, I am superwoman. Ha!

Now. When I was pregnant with Grace, she resided in the slightly larger right uterine horn. She was breech all the way up to term, and my doctor did not want to even attempt to flip her. She was delivered by c-section after my water randomly broke one evening (PROM - premature rupture of membranes, no contractions!) I managed to carry her farther than either of my OBGYN's predicted - they expected her between 34 and 36 weeks. I carried her till 39. Damn, am I good or what? I had a complication-free pregnancy, which was excellent seeing as I had plenty of reason for problems.

So my new, high-risk, maternal-fetal medicine doctors. They're spiffy. I have this delightful young woman, and she's brought in a much older - and she admits, much more knowledgeable mister. I don't mind if she's going to him, because y'know what --- if my other doctors had done that, (sought out more information), I wouldn't've left them. So yes. I have two doctors who are rooting for me! Yeah!

They are going to let me attempt a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean). They will even let me do it if the baby is breeched. They did tell me, that because they do not know just to what extent my doctor cut into the uteri, I could be at higher risk for rupture. My hope and prayer is that Dr. Gardner, when delivering Grace, only cut into the right side. That would mean my left uterus (where this baby is now!) is still perfectly intact and healthy. That's the hope and prayer. That would greatly reduce the risk for rupture.

So, it was really good news. Because they understand I plan on having quite a few more babies, they do not want to make me need a c-section for those remaining births and want to allow me to give it a shot. I'll be closely monitored, but, given a chance, nonetheless.

Sorry I wrote a novel, but it's one of those things that requires a thorough explanation.

Pray for us!