Bicornuate uterus and early delivery

A bicornuate uterus, sometimes called a heart-shaped uterus, has two upper spaces rather than one rounded cavity. As pregnancy grows, the available shape and the way the uterine muscle stretches may contribute to contractions beginning early. The baby may also settle in a breech or sideways position, which can affect birth planning. These possibilities call for closer assessment; they do not mean that early birth is inevitable.

Tell your maternity team about the uterine shape early in pregnancy and share records from previous scans or pregnancies. Your obstetrician may arrange ultrasound checks for fetal growth, position, and the cervix, depending on your history and current findings. A pelvic MRI may sometimes help clarify uterine anatomy when earlier imaging is uncertain, although the timing and need for it should be decided with your clinician. Keep appointments and learn how your maternity unit wants you to report possible labour symptoms.

Contact your maternity unit promptly if you have regular tightening or contractions, new pelvic pressure, a persistent low backache, vaginal bleeding, or a gush or trickle of fluid. Seek urgent assessment for heavy bleeding, severe or worsening abdominal pain, fainting, breathing difficulty, or a marked change in your baby's usual movements once you normally feel them. Do not wait for a routine visit when these signs occur.

Ask whether the diagnosis is confirmed, whether the cervix or fetal growth needs additional ultrasound monitoring, and whom to call outside clinic hours. It is also useful to discuss how the baby's position will be checked later in pregnancy and how that position could change the recommended place or method of birth.