What is a septate uterus?
A septate uterus is when a thin tissue membrane, called the septum, runs down the middle of the uterus (i.e., the womb) and divides it into two separate parts. This condition occurs when the baby is developing in the womb, making it the most common abnormality related to the uterus in women.
What causes a septate uterus?
Septate uterus is a genetic abnormality. It’s not known what causes it to occur. It happens as the embryo is developing. All uteri begin development as two tubes that eventually fuse and become one uterus at the midline of the body.
How rare is a septate uterus?
Septate uterus is the most common congenital uterine malformation, affecting 1 percent of all women.
Can septate uterus cause infertility?
Does a uterine septum cause infertility? A septate uterus doesn’t normally cause problems with conception, but it does interfere with your ability to carry your baby full term. In fact, up to 40% of women with septate uteri have miscarriages.
Can you still have a baby with a septate uterus?
Women with a septate uterus can have a normal reproductive life, but it may add complications to pregnancy. There is a higher risk for miscarriage, premature labor, or breech presentation (when the baby’s feet come out first), which usually requires a Caesarean section.
Does a septate uterus affect periods?
A septate (or partial septate) uterus can result in more endometrial lining (or surface area) of the uterus so this can mean heavier bleeding. However, it does depend on the size of the partial septum. For many women with a partial septum, there is no interference with menstruation and fertility.
Is uterine septum surgery painful?
There is a high success rate for improving pregnancy chances after uterine septum surgery. Hysteroscopic surgery is relatively painless and recovery time is short. Successful uterine septum surgery opens the top of the uterus to restore a normal shape and function.
How long after uterine septum can I get pregnant?
How long after surgical treatment of a uterine septum should a woman wait to conceive? There is no specific time that is recommended. Since the uterine cavity is healed two months post-operatively, that should be a sufficient waiting time.
Can vaginal septum grow back?
A complete vaginal septum can be surgically resected. During a resection of a complete vaginal septum, the entire fibrous wall of the septum be removed. The gynecologist should be aware that if the entire septum is not removed there may be a fibrous band of tissue running on the top and bottom of the vagina.
Can a septate uterus cause heavy periods?
Can a septum grow back?
Cartilage, which covers and cushions the surface of joints, generally does not regenerate once damaged, but “cartilage cells from the nasal septum (the part of the nose that separates the nostrils) are known to have a great capacity to grow and form new cartilage.”
Can you have a healthy baby with a septate uterus?