Chapter 14 - Management of Congenital Uterine and Vaginal Anomalies

Congenital anomalies of the female genital tract are alterations in embryonic development due to an interruption or deviation in the ontogenesis of individual organs, or part, of the reproductive tract. The aetiology of these anomalies is unknown. Various hypotheses have been proposed, relating to genetic alterations, hereditary factors and exposure to exogenous noxious substances, including environmental pathogens. The terminology commonly used for describing female genital tract anomalies is various and sometimes misleading: indeed, terms such as ‘uterine anomalies’, ‘congenital malformations of the female genital tract’ and ‘Müllerian anomalies’ are often used synonymously, although they actually refer to different concepts. The expression ‘congenital anomalies of the female genital tract’ includes those malformations that affect the development and morphology of the fallopian tubes, uterus, vagina and vulva, with or without associated ovarian, urinary, skeletal or other organ malformations.