Proud mother with rare double uterus gave birth to ‘miracle’ one-in-50-million twins

Proud mother who has a rare double uterus gives birth to ‘miracle’ one-in-50-million twins who were born eleven weeks apart

  • Liliya Konovalova, 29, from Kazakhstan, gave birth to a premature girl on May 24
  • It wasn’t until 25 weeks later on August 9 did she have Liya’s brother Maxim
  • Odds of that happening according to Kazakh  health ministry is one in 50m 
  • The mum has a double uterus a condition known as uterus didelphys which meant each of Liliya’s twins developed in their own womb 

A mother with a rare double uterus gave birth to her twins eleven weeks apart.

Liliya Konovalova, 29, from Uralsk, Kazakhstan, gave birth to a premature girl named Liya on May 24, weighing just 1lbs 13oz at 25 weeks pregnant.

It wasn’t until nearly three months later on August 9 did she have her brother Maxim, stunning her doctors.

According to the health ministry in Kazakhstan, the odds of this happening are one-in-50million and Liliya is the first case in the country.

The proud mum, who already has a seven-year-old daughter, has a condition known as uterus didelphys which meant each of Liliya’s twins developed in their own womb. 

Liliya Konovalova, 29, from Uralsk, Kazakhstan, was 25 weeks pregnant when she gave birth to a premature girl named Liya on May 24

Some eleven weeks later and Liliya gave birth to Liya's brother Maxim - the odds of this happening are one-in-50millionin Kazakhstan

Some eleven weeks later and Liliya gave birth to Liya’s brother Maxim – the odds of this happening are one-in-50millionin Kazakhstan

‘I was shocked when I found out that I had such a condition,’ she said.

‘I was so worried about the life of my premature baby.

‘But our doctors were great. What they did was a miracle. They showed themselves to be real professionals.’

The Mirror Online reports that Liliya’s doctors found the case highly unusual. 

She joked of her son taking his time to meet his baby sister, who spent a month in intensive care following her birth: ‘My son was in no rush to come out into the world.’ 

Liya spent a month in intensive care after she was born before her brother was born due to Liliya's double uterus condition

Liya spent a month in intensive care after she was born before her brother was born due to Liliya’s double uterus condition

The proud mother is now preparing to take her children back home where she already has a seven-year-old daughter

The proud mother is now preparing to take her children back home where she already has a seven-year-old daughter 

The deputy director of the regional perinatal centre, Eset Yeralin, said of Liliya’s case: ‘We learned about this condition almost immediately, during the first birth.

‘So our specialists took direct care of the second birth.

‘All this time the mother was in our centre, caring for girl and waiting for the second birth.’

Liliya, who said her second pregnancy was ‘difficult’, is now ready to take her twins home.

Late in December 2018 one British mother made medical history when her twins were born 12 days apart, holidng the record as the longest time apart for twins to be born in England.

Vicky Green, 32, from Manchester, gave birth first to son Presley, who weighed just 1lb 8oz, when she was 26 weeks pregnant.

But then her labour stopped, keeping his twin sister Paisley inside her womb. Finally she gave birth by caesarean to Paisley 12 days later, who weighed 2lb 8oz.      

WHAT IS UTERUS DIDELPHYS? 

Uterus didelphys, also known as a double uterus, is a condition where a woman is born with two uterus, to separate cervixes and sometimes two vaginas, though this is not always the case.

It occurs because in a female foetus, the uterus starts out as two small tubes.

As the foetus develops, the tubes normally join to create one larger, hollow organ — the uterus.

Sometimes the tubes don’t join completely and each one develops into a separate hollow organ so the woman is born with two wombs.

When the female foetus is developing, two tubes normally join to create one larger, hollow organ - the uterus (top picture). But in a minority of women, the tubes don't join - allowing two hollow organs to form instead. This means the woman is born with two wombs (bottom picture)

When the female foetus is developing, two tubes normally join to create one larger, hollow organ – the uterus (top picture). But in a minority of women, the tubes don’t join – allowing two hollow organs to form instead. This means the woman is born with two wombs (bottom picture)

It often only becomes noticeable after puberty and is diagnosed with a physical exam or an ultrasound scan.

In terms of physical anatomy, the two wombs are often slightly smaller than average in order to fit, though they can be as big as a ‘normal’ womb.

It also makes it possible to be pregnant twice at the same time – with a baby in each womb. 

Some women are also born with two vaginas, although they can have sex and menstruate in the same way as people with just one.

‘They may know they have two and be able to find them, or they may not realise,’ Dr Leila Hanna, a consultant gynaecologist & Obstetrician at BMI The Sloane Hospital, told MailOnline. 

‘It can be painful because there are two squashed in the same area, so sometimes we do an operation to join them together, but its not necessary.

‘They could also have abnormalities of their kidneys and the tube which bring the urine from the bladder.’

Women will frequently have a slightly higher risk of late miscarriage, premature delivery and bleeding during pregnancy.

Often Caesarean sections are recommended, to reduce the risk of complications.

There is no treatment or cure for the condition. 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk