didelphic

Didelphic is an adjective derived from the Greek didelphos meaning "double womb." In anatomical terminology, didelphic describes a reproductive system with two uterine cavities or two uteri. The term is most widely encountered in two contexts: human medicine and mammalian anatomy.

In human medicine, didelphic is used in reference to uterus didelphys, a congenital anomaly in which the female uterus consists of two separate uterine horns, often with two cervices and, in some cases, two vaginas. This condition is rare and may be associated with obstetric complications. Diagnosis is usually via ultrasound or MRI, and management focuses on symptoms and pregnancy planning.

In zoology and vertebrate anatomy, didelphic commonly describes the reproductive tract arrangement found in many marsupials, particularly early-diverging forms, where two separate uteri are present and can be associated with multiple vaginal openings that connect to a shared birth canal. The precise anatomy varies among species, and didelphic is used as a descriptive term rather than a diagnostic category.

Related terms include uterus didelphys for the human condition, and in a broader sense, didelphia as a root for two wombs. The word emphasizes duplication of reproductive structures rather than function.