Uterus didelphys in a buffalo heifer: a case report

Uterus didelphys or true double cervix is a congenital anatomical defect of the female genital tract of monotocous species, including cattle and humans (1). The defect is characterized by presence of completely separated cervices, each one leading to a separate uterine horn. The condition has been attributed to failure of fusion of the caudal portions of the paramesonephric ducts during embryonic development, resulting in a double cervix or a divided uterine funds (2). These cases could conceive normally, but may show dystocia due to a fetal limb entering each cervical canal (3). Case reports of uterus didelphys in cows are sporadic (4,5). Fig 1: A- Buffalo heifer reproductive tract showing two cervical canals, B- two cervical canals leading to separate uterine horns. In the present case and during routine collection of reproductive tracts from Mosul abattoir a uterus didelphys was diagnosed through the post mortem examination of the reproductive tract of a buffalo heifer. Macroscopically, the genital tract had two cervical canals without any connections between them; they were separately opened into separated uterine horns (Figure 1). This is the first record of such a case in buffalo cows.