Reproductive outcomes after in vitro fertilization for women with unicornuate uterus: a case-control study
Unicornuate uterus (uteri) or bicornuate uterus and IVF can make it difficult for a woman to become pregnant or stay pregnant, as only half of the uterus forms. Women with infertility are more likely to have a unicornuate uterus, a congenital uterine malformation resulting from unilateral maldevelopment of the Mullerian duct. The aims of the study were to evaluate embryological and clinical outcomes after IVF-ICSI for women with unicornuate uteri without a functional cavity (ESHRE-ESGE class IVb). Bicornuate uteri are a rare anomaly, but they are associated with worse reproductive outcomes, such as frequent pregnancy loss and pre-term labor. Adolescents presenting with menstrual problems should be treated with high suspicion so as to avoid obstetric complications associated with this anomaly.
After IVF-ICSI, women with unicornuate uteruses (bicornuate uterus) have lower clinical pregnancy and live birth rates compared with women with normal uteruses. A prospective evaluation of blastocyst culture is warranted because treatment outcomes are improved.
The prevalence of uterine anomalies in the general population is reported to be 6.7%, while it is estimated that the percentage is 7.3% in infertile couples. An uterus didelphys is caused by a failure of Müllerian duct fusion, which may be associated with a complete or partial uterine septum. In the majority of cases, uterine didelphys is discovered incidentally during the course of the workup of infertility or recurrent miscarriage. Uterus didelphys affects 0.2% of the infertile population (. In a small retrospective study, we found that unicornuate uterus and uterus didelphys were associated with a higher rate of term deliveries and a lower rate of first-trimester miscarriages than septate and bicornuate uteri (uterus) following IVF/ET.
The uterus can have a variety of abnormalities, some of which are more serious than others. The most prevalent abnormalities include the following:
- Bicornuateuteri is heart-shaped rather than pear-shaped in an upside-down position.
- Unicornuate uteruses have a banana-shaped single fallopian tube.
- There’s a good chance that if you have a unicornuate uterus, you’ll still have two ovaries, but only one will be connected to it.
- A unicornuate uterus looks banana-shaped and has a single fallopian tube. With a unicornuate uterus, you’re likely to still have two ovaries, but only one of them will be connected.
- An arcuate uterus is the mildest form of an abnormality and looks quite similar to a typical uterus, but with an arc or dip at the top.
