title: Prevalence of Müllerian duct anomalies detected at ultrasound.
abstract: The true prevalence of müllerian duct abnormalities is not well established. We used standard ultrasound examinations to establish the prevalence of müllerian duct abnormalities in girls and women who were evaluated for reasons unrelated to the presence of uterine anomalies. Prospective ultrasound examinations for nonobstetric indications in 2,065 consecutive girls and women (aged 8-93) showed that 8 had anomalies, including bicornuate uterus, septate uterus, and double uterus. In this first attempt to determine the prevalence of uterine anomalies in the general population, using noninvasive methodology, the rate of anomalies was 3.87 per 1,000 women (exact 95% confidence interval: 1.67-7.62), or approximately 1 in 250 women. This prevalence estimate may be greater than the true rate if selection biases are strong, or less than the true prevalence if ultrasound detection rates are low. As a first attempt to establish the prevalence by pelvic ultrasound in a consecutive series, these data may serve as a baseline estimate.
authors.affiliation: Center VI, Diagnostic Imaging and Radiology, Children's National Medical Center, George Washington University Medical Center, Washington, District of Columbia, USA. jbyrne@cnmc.org
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Byrne
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nussbaum-Blask
authors.forename: W S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rubin
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: O'Donnell
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shulman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009095:Mullerian Ducts / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D015995:Prevalence; D014463:Ultrasonography