The unusual pregnancy shocked doctors. This situation happens once in 50 million

Kelsey Hatcher was born with a very rare condition that affects approximately 0.3 percent of women. She has two functioning uteruses. Recently, she and her husband decided to have their fourth child. One of the ultrasound examinations showed that the woman had a “twin” pregnancy, with each fetus occupying a different uterus. This is a unique situation.

This unique pregnancy will go down in medical history

Kelsey knew that she could theoretically become a mother of twins, but all her previous pregnancies had been normal without any complications or surprises. That’s why she was very surprised when she saw two fetuses developing in two uteruses on the ultrasound image. The nurse performing the ultrasound was also shocked. The woman’s husband reacted similarly when she called him with information about the unusual discovery. “I don’t know what happened differently this time, but it’s amazing,” he said.

As Dr. Shweta Patel explains, there are many different types of twin pregnancies. In this case, two separate ovulations most likely occurred and each egg entered a separate fallopian tube. There was double fertilization at different times. Dr. Patel admits that neither she nor the other doctors at the University of Alabama Medical Center who treat Kelsey have seen such an unusual pregnancy before.

– We don’t really know how to deal with a patient with two uteruses and two children, one in each of them. There is no expert in such unusual cases. Therefore, we must rely on the acquired knowledge, intuition and experience, as well as adapt the action plan to changes that occur during pregnancy. We have to be very flexible, the specialist emphasizes.

The termination date is December 25, 2023. Kelsey would like to give birth naturally, but it all depends on the course of the pregnancy. It is important to take into account the fact that uteruses will begin to contract at different times. The interval between individual births may be several minutes or hours, or even several days or weeks. It’s hard to predict. That’s why doctors have several scenarios up their sleeve. They also do not rule out a cesarean section.

Kelsey Hatcher noted that although her current pregnancy is unique, it has been smooth so far with no major complications. In the first trimester, she only felt a lot of fatigue, more than in previous pregnancies. Moreover, the children are becoming more and more separated from each other. “I see a kind of depression through which I can see that each uterus has one baby. This is quite strange,” the future mother said in an interview with the media.

How does a double uterus manifest itself?

The occurrence of a double uterus is a rare developmental defect that occurs in a girl’s fetal life. In most cases, it does not cause any obvious symptoms. Patients most often learn about its existence during a gynecological or ultrasound (USG) examination. Sometimes women complain of painful and heavy periods. Generally, the described condition does not require specialized treatment. The exception are situations when the defect makes it difficult or impossible to get pregnant.

A double uterus also increases the risk of fetal malposition, miscarriage or premature birth. However, it often does not cause any complications. This happened, among others, in the case of Kelsey Hatcher. A thirty-two-year-old woman has so far given birth to three healthy children. All pregnancies so far have been uncomplicated and ended on time.