I was stunned to find out the reason I have to have two smear tests at a time and suffer unbearable period pain
A MUM has revealed how she found out she had two vaginas after suffering “unbearable” period pain.
Cheryl-Ann Mostert, 27, from Cape Town in South Africa, was diagnosed with a condition called uterus didelphys when she was 14.
The mum-of-two — who also had two thumbs on one hand — said her time of the month became so bad she had to leave classes at school and the agony caused her to vomit.
After suffering worsening pain in her lower back, medics discovered she had twice as many uteruses, cervixes and vaginas during an operation.
Cheryl-Ann, who works in sales, said: “I got sick and I had lower back pain that became intolerable.
"I couldn’t sleep, I couldn’t sit, lie down or stand — I could do nothing.
“The pain left me breathless so my family members took me to hospital where I was diagnosed with a blockage in my bladder as a result of a severe urinary tract infection.
“I was operated on the next day, which is when my rare physiology was discovered.”
A doctor came to talk to her the day after the operation, revealing the condition after pulling the curtains around her bed.
She said: “It was the first time in my life I’d heard of something like this — I didn’t even know what a uterus was.
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“All I knew was I’d once had two thumbs on my one hand. I thought: 'What on Earth is happening to me?'.”
Around one in every 3,000 women are thought to live with uterus didelphys.
Experts are not sure what exactly causes it but believe genetics may play a role, with the rare condition sometimes running in families.
Many women with it have successful pregnancies but it can lead to problems with fertility, miscarriage and premature birth.
When Cheryl-Ann’s mum Eureka Jackson was first told about her diagnosis, she worried her daughter would not be able to have children.
She said: “I thought: ‘What did I do wrong? It’s my fault’.
"Then I thought: ‘Will I ever become a grandmother?’.”
However, Cheryl-Anne has since had two daughters who were born after C-sections: Alexia, eight, and Chandre, one, who have no health issues.
She told her husband Andre Mostert, 38, about her condition before they had their children.
What are the symptoms of uterus didelphys?
If you’re experiencing symptoms from uterus didelphys, you might have:
- Pain during sex
- Painful cramping before and during your period
- Heavy bleeding during your period
- Leaking blood when using a tampon (tampon is only in one uterus and not the other)
- Frequent miscarriages
- Preterm labour
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Cheryl-Ann said: “I realised I needed to tell him about my physiology when things between us started to get serious.
“I told him: ‘If you don’t like what you hear, I’ll understand’.
“But Andre took it in his stride and I’ve been happily married for five years.
“Our sex life is normal. We can talk about it and I could even ask him what it felt like.”
Despite being able to live a relatively normal life, Cheryl-Anne still suffers painful periods that can leave her bed-ridden.
She said: “My condition makes my monthly period unbearable sometimes. I have to numb myself against the pain.
“In high school I had to go home because the pain made me weak and vomit and my blood pressure would drop.
“I also experience a lot of bleeding and often have to spend three days in bed.
“When I go to the gynae for her regular check-up, I need two Pap smears as I have two cervixes.”
Now, she wants to help other women living with the condition and let them know they are not alone.
She said: “On the outside, I look like any other woman.
"I want to educate others and hopefully help girls and women living with the condition.
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“I want them to know they aren’t the only one. It’s nothing to be ashamed of. Life goes on.
“Double doesn’t always mean trouble and in my case, it’s what nature intended and it’s working for me.”