After learning that she was pregnant, Kelly made the necessary plans to welcome a new little member to her family. However, she never could have predicted that she would be returning home from an appointment to tell her two young daughters something like this...
Exciting News
Kelly and Joshua Boundy were already parents to two young daughters, Agyness and Margot, when they got the news that Kelly was pregnant for the third time. Little did they know, this pregnancy wouldn't be anything like what they were expecting...
Easy Preparation
Because Kelly and Josh had done this twice already, they didn't stress making room for another baby. This transition would be easy. They knew they were good parents, and they were excited to meet the new member of their family in a few months...
New Rules and Regulations
Because of new COVID-19 health concerns, Kelly had to go to all of her appointments without Josh. Everything was going as planned for the first couple of months. Going to doctor's vists alone didn't bother Kelly at first, but when the doctor told that they had some unusual news, she got nervous...
A Dangerous Time to Be Pregnant
A million different scenarios ran through Kelly's head. She hoped nothing was wrong with her baby. Living during a pandemic and also being pregnant meant she was at a high risk for complications. Could that be the news?
Horror Stories
Kelly had already heard stories about the various pregnancy complications that could occur. She'd been lucky enough to have two healthy babies before, and she hoped that her luck wouldn't run out here. The doctor asked her to sit down as she pulled out her scans...
Shocking News
The doctor confirmed that Kelly had nothing to worry about. Actually, her news was quite the opposite of upsetting. Kelly was having twins! But the surprise didn't end there...
That Wasn't All
Kelly was in shock. She was overjoyed by the news that they were expecting twins. She couldn't wait to tell Josh, and she almost misheard what else the doctor had to say. The good news was about to get a little weird...
1 in 50 Million
The doctor said Kelly had what is known as a "didelphys uterus," which means the has two wombs! The chances of this occurring are 1 in 50 million, and now the family of four would be a family of six. They had some big changes in store...
A New Diagnosis
As far as having two uteruses, this was news to Kelly. Doctors had never told her anything like this before. She'd never even known such a condition was possible...
What Exactly Is a Double Uterus?
A double uterus is a rare congenital abnormality. A normal uterus starts as two small tubes, and as the fetus develops, the tubes will join together to make one hollow organ. However, there are instances when those tubes don't join and each develops their own womb...
Sharing Her Story
Kelly was hoping to speak to other people with the same strange condition. "I wanted to be able to speak to people who have been through the same situation as me, to know the outcome of the pregnancy and if they experienced any complications," she explains. "Some people, like me, are completely unaware they have a didelphys uterus. It's common to have miscarriages with a didelphys, so maybe there are women out there unaware that may be the reason why."
Don't Let Things Go Unchecked
Kelly believes doctors never caught this because they were never looking for it. It typically develops during pregnancy only, and there hadn't been a need for an internal exam. Kelly urged women who want a full exam during pregnancy to ask the tough questions...
Waiting For Her Twins
As far as the babies go, yes, they are twins. However, the chances of them being identical is extremely rare. The chances of them being born premature, though, are high...
Complications Are Common
During a normal twin pregnancy, complications are relatively common. Kelly could go into labor twice and have to have two separate deliveries. Surprisingly, this is something that isn't all that uncommon...
Two Births In One Month
Arifa Sultana, a 20-year-old Bangladeshi woman, gave birth to her first child in February, but went into labor again later that month and delivered twins. This medical marvel welcomed three children in three weeks...
A Normal Delivery
Arifa was admitted to the Ad-Din Hospital in Dhaka, and her doctor said everything about her delivery went according to plan. After a couple of days, she was sent home with her baby. Somehow, none of the medical staff noticed that something was seriously bizarre happening to Arifa...
Intense Stomach Pains
Three weeks after Arifa went home with her newborn, she started experiencing severe cramps. They were so unbearable that she went back to the hospital. Her same OBGYN admitted her, and that was when they both realized something was terribly wrong...
A Second Round of Labor
Arifa was one of only a handful of women to have developed two uteruses during pregnancy. She'd been carrying twins in one womb, and a single baby in another. Her pregnancy might go down in history for how rare it is. How had two of Arifa's babies gone completely unnoticed?
Three Babies Went Unnoticed
It might seem impossible, but neither Arifa nor her medical team know that she was pregnant with three babies. She assumed the whole time she was only carrying one child because she never had an ultrasound. Phenomenal births typically happen in countries where medical care isn't easily accessible...
Happy and Healthy
Despite being born premature and three weeks apart at that, Arifa's babies are healthy. She's lucky that her story didn't end in tragedy, with birth defects or death. However, Arifa's incredible pregnancy is still not the strangest one to make headlines...
Born With a Medical Anomaly
Nicci was given an early diagnosis after she suffered from painful and persistent symptoms for years. Not only did she have two uteruses, but she also had two vaginas. She found out at just seventeen years old...
Unbearable Cycles
"I first knew something was wrong when I was a teenager and I was bleeding more than I should. The pain was intolerable and, while on my period, I couldn't function. My doctor told me I had two wombs, two vaginas, and two cervices. There were times when I had to wear Depends because tampons and pads weren't enough."
A Difficult Pregnancy
Despite knowing that she had two reproductive systems, she still had an extremely difficult pregnancy. She suffered from frequent bleeding, intense fatigue, and even fainting spells. Her doctors were worried she'd had an ectopic pregnancy...
Unclear Scans
Even knowing that Nicci had two separate reproductive systems, her ultrasounds were always difficult. The monitor would pick up the other, empty womb, sending doctors into a panic. The fear of a stilborn pregnancy was very real...
Progressive Results
As she got further and further into her pregnancy, it was apparent that Nicci wasn't pregnant with more than one baby, which can happen in women who have two uteruses. Thankfully that meant her pregnancy would pose less risks to the fetus...
Due Date
When Nicci's due date finally approached, a team of doctors were ready in the delivery room in case anything went wrong. Many had never experienced a birth like this before, and the potential complications for the mother were at the front of their minds. Thankfully, Nicci made it to full term before going into labor...
More Awareness About Phenomenal Births
Nicci, just like Kelly who delivered twins, also hoped that doctors would spread more awareness about the reality of living with two reproductive systems. It's a rare occurrence, but it does still affect plenty of women who then have no idea how to deal with it. Luckily, Nicci's doctors were busy educating themselves every step of her pregnancy...
The Importance of Women's Health
The lack of understanding around irregular reproductive health is frightening for women who live with it. Having undiagnosed conditions could lead to much worse issues. Cervical cancer is one of the leading causes of death for women in the United States...
Premature Births
While it's not always possible to prevent premature births, it is possible to take the necessary steps to care for your baby once it is born early. Understanding the various needs a premature baby will need immediately and possibly as well as through life is essential. OBGYN staff at nearly every hospital are well equipped at providing this care...
Enjoying Pregnancy
For many women, pregnancy is an exciting life transition. For others, it can pose many health risks and fears. Educating yourself on the potential of a phenomenal birth is important in being prepared throughout your pregnancy for a healthy delivery.