What is a heart shaped uterus and how can it affect birth?

You have some really good questions about a heart shaped uterus. The technical name for it is bicornuate uterus and it looks just like a heart. The top of the heart is indented slightly to resemble the shape of a heart. Of the general population there are a ton of different uterine abnormalities that can exist and only 3% of the population has some sort of abnormality, some of which are severe and others that aren't quite so much. Of the 3% of the population that has an abnormality, about 5% of those women have a bicornuate uterus. I work on labor and delivery and we see it every now and then, it's not super rare. There are some risks that can be associated with it that we always keep in the back of our minds, one of which you mentioned is pre-term labor. You're exactly right, it's the shape of the uterus, it makes things a little more cramped and squished. It's kind of like the turkey timer just popped sooner and so the babies want to come out sooner. That's definitely a possible explanation for the fact that your last baby was pre-term. If you've had a prior pre-term delivery then you are at higher risk for having a pre-term delivery next time. There are other risks associated with it such as malpresentation. That means that your baby is not head down in your pelvis because they're not quite able to fit right with that little indent in the uterus. It's more likely that women with a bicornuate uterus will have breech babies where the head is up. That's always something that we keep in mind. As for what can be done about it, this is a good question for your doctor. They can tell if it's worth looking into it a little bit more. There are certain tests that can be done if they feel like it's a severe case. In severe cases surgical repair can be done but this would be a decision you have to make with your doctor. They can decide if it's worth looking into or if it's just worth monitoring you next time you get pregnant and watching for signs of complications and managing them if they arise. Those are all really good questions. Ask your doctor if you have any more specific ones. If you have any other questions for me feel free to ask them on our Facebook page at Facebook.com/IntermountainMoms and recommend us to your friends and family too.