An Ohio woman who thought she had a tumor in her womb actually had a much more ‘shocking’ condition.
Kelsi Baldwin, 33, and her husband Matt had been struggling to conceive for six years when they were booked for a scan in 2023 to get to the bottom of the problem.
That’s when doctors noticed what looked like a basketball-sized tumor in Mrs Baldwin’s uterus which raised concerns that cancer could be to blame.
However, further testing revealed that the apparent lump was actually a second, much smaller womb, a defect she had from birth but was completely unaware of.
That is when she and her husband began joining the dots. The condition which affects one in 2,000 women makes it hard to conceive and explains her extremely heavy periods – she had two uteruses bleeding every month.
Kelsi Baldwin, 33, from Ohio, was diagnosed with uterine didelphys, a three-in-1,000 condition that led her to develop two uteruses and cervixes
Mrs Baldwin and her husband Matt (pictured here) had struggled for six years to get pregnant. Doctors believe uterine didelphys may have caused this infertility
Mrs Baldwin, now 33, said: ‘It was a shock and learning experience for both me and my husband.
‘At first I was very embarrassed and didn’t want to tell anyone I had it. I felt alone – I couldn’t find many others like me and there wasn’t a lot of information that I could find on the internet about it.’
Normally when a woman’s uterus forms in utero, it starts as two ducts that join together to form the organ.
But for those with double uterus, Known medically as uterine didelphys, the ducts don’t join together. Instead, each duct creates its own uterus.
It’s unclear why this happens.
Ms Baldwin also has two cervixes, which are canals that connect the uterus to the vagina. She still only has one vagina.
She said: ‘It affects the ability of the sperm to meet the egg, depending on which side ovulates – which I don’t know [beforehand].’
Infertility issues could be because one the uteruses could be smaller than average, leaving less room for a fetus to properly develop.
The complex anatomy may also make it difficult for an embryo to successfully implant.
Other than infertility, her only symptom was extremely heavy periods that led her to ‘bleed right through’ tampons.
Doctors believe that Mrs Baldwin’s condition is likely the reason why she has struggled to get pregnant.
Mrs Baldwin has undergone multiple fertility treatments as a result of her condition, including injections (left) and IVF
Mrs Baldwin, pictured here at a fertility appointment, is now focused on sharing her story to help support other patients with uterine didelphys and infertility
According to the Cleveland Clinic, those with double uteruses are at an increased risk of miscarriage, early labor, C-sections, low birth weight, growth restriction, and babies being born in the breech position – when the baby is feet or bottom first in the uterus, which can be dangerous and make delivery more difficult.
The smaller uterus size may force the fetus into awkward positions, making it necessary to deliver it early or via C-section to avoid birth injuries.
In addition to two miscarriages, Mrs Baldwin has undergone multiple rounds of fertility treatments like intrauterine insemination (IUI), which involves inserting sperm directly into the uterus to increase the chances of pregnancy.
‘We are currently in the middle of doing IVF so we can transfer the embryo into the right uterus – my bigger one – with hopes of successful implantation,’ Mrs Baldwin said.
She will also have to have two regular pap smears, which take samples of cervical tissue to check for cancer.
After her diagnosis last winter, Mrs Baldwin is focusing on sharing her story to help other patients with uterine didelphys and infertility.
She said: ‘It’s important for me to share my story so others don’t feel so alone.
‘I want there to be as many resources and information for others who are diagnosed with this anomaly and who are struggling with it or struggling to conceive.’
