Mom, 28, reveals bizarre anatomical anomaly that means she has two wombs, and carried a baby in each!

By Liam On Jun 6, 2024

A woman has told how shocked she was to discover she had two wombs and how she was carrying a baby in each.

Shannon Webster, from Basingstoke in Hampshire, had always had unusually heavy periods since she had her first at 14.

But she had no idea how unusual her anatomy was.

The 28-year-old welcomed her first child in 2014. But it wasn’t until she suffered a miscarriage two years later that a routine test revealed she had two uteruses.

This unusual condition, thought to affect about three in a thousand women worldwide, is medically known as uterine didelphys.

It also means that the medical secretary has two vaginas and cervixes that are all fully functional.

And even worse, scans during her next pregnancy with her youngest child showed that she was carrying him in her right womb, unlike her first child who was carried in her left womb.

Shannon Webster, from Basingstoke, Hampshire, had always had unusually heavy periods since she had her first period at 14. But she had no idea how unusual her anatomy was. The 28-year-old welcomed her first child in 2014. But it wasn’t until she suffered a tragic miscarriage two years later that routine tests revealed she had two uteruses.

This unusual condition, thought to affect up to 1 in 1,000 women worldwide, is medically known as uterine didelphys. It also means that the medical secretary has two vaginas and cervixes that are all fully functional

Although all women born with uterine dielphys have two uteruses, only a fraction also have two separate cervixes and vaginas. Each uterus has its own fallopian tube and ovary. Many women with the anatomical abnormality don’t even know they have the condition because they have no symptoms. In most cases, the diagnosis is not made during pregnancy until their condition is revealed through routine scans and tests

Ms Webster said her diagnosis made her experiences with past problems make more sense.

‘I couldn’t use tampons. “I tried using them but it hurt me so much,” she said.

‘The doctors just said I was very small. I would have dog training mats on my bed. I had three sanitary pads in my pants.

‘I just woke up covered this morning. I’ve even tried adult pull-ups.’

But after she suffered a miscarriage in 2016, her condition was revealed during an ultrasound: ‘The sonographer said, “Oh, you’re different, aren’t you.” I said, “I’m sorry.”

‘She said, “You have two wombs, that’s very rare.” I felt like I have no idea what you’re talking about.

“She was shocked that I didn’t know.”

Another MRI scan that same year confirmed that she had uterine didelphys.

Many women with the anatomical abnormality don’t even know they have the condition because they have no symptoms. In most cases, the diagnosis is not made during pregnancy until their condition is revealed through routine scans and tests

Women with uterine didelphys are born with the condition where the condition is caused during their development in the womb. However, doctors do not yet know what the exact cause of this is. It can cause infertility in some patients because it increases the risk of miscarriage because the uterus is smaller and can restrict the growth of a fetus. The photo shows the scan of her second son

What is uterus didelphys?

Uterus didelphys, also called a double uterus, is a condition in which a woman is born with two uteruses, two separate cervixes, and sometimes two vaginas, although this is not always the case.

It occurs because in a female fetus the uterus begins as two small tubes.

As the fetus develops, the fallopian tubes normally join to create one larger, hollow organ: the uterus.

Sometimes the fallopian tubes do not come together completely and they each develop into a separate hollow organ, so that the woman is born with two uteruses.

It often only becomes noticeable after puberty and is diagnosed with a physical examination or an ultrasound.

In terms of physical anatomy, the two uteruses are often slightly smaller than average for fit, but they can be as large as a ‘normal’ uterus.

It also makes it possible to be pregnant twice at the same time – with a baby in each womb.

Some women are also born with two vaginas, although they can have sex and menstruate in the same way as women with only one.

But doctors were unable to investigate later that year when she discovered she was pregnant again.

After welcoming her son via C-section in August 2017, “They (the doctors) showed me so everyone (the doctors) could look at me,” she added.

‘It was like being in a museum. It was so everyone could see my two uteruses.’

Although all women born with uterine dielphys have two uteruses, only a fraction also have two separate cervixes and vaginas.

Each uterus has its own fallopian tube and ovary.

Many women with the anatomical abnormality don’t even know they have the condition because they have no symptoms.

In most cases, the diagnosis is not made during pregnancy until their condition is revealed through routine scans and tests.

However, some signs of the condition include pain during sex, heavy bleeding, frequent miscarriages, and premature labor.

Women with uterine didelphys are born with the condition caused during their development in the womb.

However, doctors do not yet know what the exact cause of this is.

It can cause infertility in some patients because it increases the risk of miscarriage because the uterus is smaller and can restrict the growth of a fetus.

Surgery to join a double uterus together is possible, but is rarely performed unless patients experience severe symptoms.

The procedure removes the internal tissue wall that separates the two vaginas, which can increase the chances of pregnancy.