A septate uterus is something that a woman is born with. During her development in utero, the two tubes that are supposed to connect to create the uterus don't fuse together the right way, creating a septum that either partially or completely divides the uterus. In many cases, a woman may not even know that she has a uterine malformation for many years. However, having a septate uterus can cause pregnancy complications, so this condition is often diagnosed when a person is having problems with a pregnancy. Some of the common complications caused by a septate uterus include the following.

Miscarriage

When a woman has a septate uterus, the septum is fibrous and non-vascular. If a fertilized egg implants on the septum, the woman will experience a miscarriage since the egg can't receive the nourishment it needs from the septum. Unfortunately, woman with a septate uterus typically experience a miscarriage rate that is much higher than the general population. While most women experience miscarriages during the first trimester of pregnancy, women who have a septate uterus tend to have a higher rate of miscarriages in the second trimester.

A septate uterus can also cause recurrent miscarriages. If the fertilized eggs from subsequent pregnancies implants on the septum, a woman will experience the loss of a pregnancy. When a woman is experiencing recurrent miscarriages, and OB/GYN can do a number of tests and imaging to determine if a septate uterus is the issue; in the event that a woman has a septate uterus and can't carry a pregnancy, the septum can be surgically removed to improve outcomes.

Breech Presentation

The uterus is designed to stretch and expand in order to accommodate a growing fetus. However, when there is a septum in the uterus, the fetus is not able to change positions comfortably. Thus, towards the end of the third trimester when a baby should be facing head down, a large number of babies of mothers who have a septate uterus remain in the breech position. In almost all cases, breech babies are delivered by c-section to avoid the complication and risk of delivering a breech baby vaginally. While a c-section is the safest way to deliver a breech baby, the procedure comes with its own set of risks and possible complications.

Pre-Term Labor

In addition to being in the breech position, many fetuses simply don't have enough room inside the uterus due to the fact that the septum partially or completely divides it. Thus, it is not uncommon for mothers who have a septate uterus to go into pre-term labor when the baby has basically outgrown the space that he or she has in the womb. 

For more information, contact your preferred OBGYN.