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Woman Had Intense Periods. After Surgery at Age 19, She Discovered She Has an Extremely Rare Condition — 2 Wombs (Exclusive)
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- A woman thought she was suffering from appendix issues, but after surgery, she was instead told she has two wombs
- Ellie Curran, 21, eventually received a formal diagnosis of complete bicorporeal uterus — a rare condition that affects only about 0.4% of women
- "Women, you know your own body better than anyone. If you think there's something not right, don’t stop fighting for answers," she tells PEOPLE
A woman, who historically suffered from intense periods, once thought she was also having appendix issues. When doctors told her that the pain she was experiencing was, for the most part, actually caused by her having two wombs, she was shocked.
Ellie Curran of Ireland was 12 years old when she got her period for the first time. "I noticed roughly just after that, they were very sore and heavy," she tells PEOPLE. "I'd mainly have to stay in bed a lot, and I was so drained it affected my social life also."
One night, Curran, now 21, says she had "really bad pain" in her lower stomach area and thought it was her appendix. According to SWNS, she underwent surgery to remove the organ, and that's when doctors made the unexpected find that she has not one uterus, but two.
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“[The doctors] said there seems to be two uteruses, but didn’t say too much when I had my appendix removed,” Curran recalled.
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Curran underwent further testing and eventually received a formal diagnosis of complete bicorporeal uterus, meaning she has two distinct uterine cavities separated by a wall of tissue. (Only about 0.4% of women are born with the rare condition, according to the Cleveland Clinic.)
She additionally told SWNS that further scans later revealed she has two cervixes, and she "might have an extra kidney." Curran was also diagnosed with endometritis, which doctors have said could contribute to her painful periods.
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According to Curran, "[There are] not really many treatment options I’ve been told of yet, so it’s a waiting game now."
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She is currently on a wait list for additional tests, and she is scheduled to undergo surgery in May.
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And, should she choose to have children, Curran tells PEOPLE getting pregnant will present challenges.
"I’d have to mainly get pregnant in the left womb, because it’s bigger than the right, and it's safer in the left," she explains.
Curran, a call center worker, is sharing her story in hopes of helping others. "I want to spread awareness and find girls with something similar to what I’m currently going through," she says.
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As for her go-to advice for other women dealing with the same or similar situations? Curran tells PEOPLE, "Women, you know your own body better than anyone. If you think there's something not right, don’t stop fighting for answers."
Read the original article on People