Thursday, March 19, 2009

Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome

I got some very sad news the other day, one of my fellow nesties from Thenest.com, an online message board that I am a part of found out that she may be delivering her identical twins early at 23 weeks. They are suffering from twin to twin transfusion syndrome.
As a result of sharing a single placenta, the blood supplies of monochorionic twin fetuses can become connected, so that they share blood circulation: although each fetus uses its own portion of the placenta, the connecting blood vessels within the placenta allow blood to pass from one twin to the other. Depending on the number, type and direction of the interconnecting blood vessels (anastomoses), blood can be transferred disproportionately from one twin (the "donor") to the other (the "recipient"). The transfusion causes the donor twin to have decreased blood volume, retarding the donor's development and growth, and also decreased urinary output, leading to a lower than normal level of amniotic fluid (becoming oligohydramnios). The blood volume of the recipient twin is increased, which can strain the fetus's heart and eventually lead to heart failure, and also higher than normal urinary output, which can lead to excess amniotic fluid (becoming polyhydramnios).

My online friend had a surgery to try and fix the TTTS and they thought the surgery was a success, but a few weeks after having the surgery she started having problems. She is now in the hospital and is facing possibly delivering too early, she is almost 24 weeks. We need her to get to 24 weeks because that is considered the point of viability for the babies.

I am so sad for her! My heart is literally breaking for her. I feel like we go through so much to get pregnant and then we are faced with another hurdle. I swear I will not breath until I bring my baby home from the hospital. Please keep your prayers with my friend that her babies will make it.







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