Fraternal twins measuring 6 days apart?

Hi there,

I just had my 12-week u/s yesterday and although things look good from my perspective (healthy heartbeats, etc.), the doctor scared me quite a bit because they are measuring 6 days apart. So yesterday, I should have been 11weeks, 6days...Twin A measured 12weeks, 1day and Twin B measured 11weeks, 2 days...totalling 6 days apart. The doctor cautioned me that it could indicate a chromosomal abnormality with the smaller baby and discussed all of my options depending on what we find over the next 6 weeks....he talked about things like selective reduction, which totally freaked me out!! Then he added at the end that it could be nothing! Gee - how reassuring! I was under the impression that twins are often not the same size and that that was okay. They have been measuring approx. 6 days apart since our first u/s at 7 weeks.

Has anyone had a size difference of 6 days or more and had things turn out okay?

Thanks so much for any advice/insights anyone can offer!

Jen

 

That's crazy he is freaking you out over this. They are completely different babies and babies develop at different rates. I personally see nothing alarming with 6 days different. Of course it's best to keep an eye on (like they would do even if they were measuring right on with each other) but I think it's premature to worry you like that. Especially if they have been measuring that same difference almost from the beginning.

I haven't had any differences like that in my u/s but mine is a different pregnancy with different babies so it means nothing.

(hugs) I hate that you're worried now.

 

I would try not to worry about it at this point, I know easier said than done, especially with the way the dr. was acting. But Cynthia is right, they are totally different babies, being fraternal, and they will develop their own way. One could just be having a growth spurt right now. I was told with fraternals, they will develop as they normally would if you only had one baby, at their own rate, and one possibly gain more weight than the other. :hug99:

 

I think it's a little early to be freaking out (and the Dr. should not have spoken about it like it's freaking out time!). Ours measured different the whole way through, and were born at pretty different weights. One explanation we were given is that they could have actually been CONCEIVED days or even a week apart.

Hopefully things will settle down, your Dr. will mellow out, and you'll be able to have a calm and pleasant pregnancy.

Good luck, and keep us posted.

-Rachel

 

Thanks so much ladies for your support! I went in there totally expecting him to be reassuring about the fact that I was expecting twins, but I found he really harped on the possible complications, etc. I don't know if that's just his way....being upfront and realistic or what, but it certainly wasn't comforting! And he's a specialist in twin deliveries...

Anyways, I suggested to him the possibility that one was conceived a little later than the other and he basically laughed at that idea. But my cycles were being monitored because I was on clomid and the tech had told me (before we knew we were pg) that I had released three eggs and that one had been released later than the other two....so I feel like it is entirely possible that this egg was fertilized a little later.

I'm trying my best not to worry as it is out of my control right now and I just want to enjoy the holidays being pg and being comforted by making it past 12 weeks (I've had a previous m/c). But it's just difficult when the doctor started out our appointment with that news! And he harped on it for a good 15 minutes, rattling off chromosomal abnormalities, Down's, heart defects, etc. as all possibilities...he had me almost in tears! We had the nuchal translucency done yesterday and they were both completely in the normal range - no worries at all from the doctor, so I felt like that was at least a good sign!

Phew...at this rate, I can see that I'm really going to need the support of this board. This is all so new to me - especially as a first-time mom! It's easy to get overwhlemed, eh?

 

There was always around 4-5 days between my two and both were fine. Even after they were born Sophie has always been the smallest one/ Try not to worry about it too much .Sounds like you have a fantastic and reasurring doctor there!!

P.s If you dont mine me asking where are from? Its just that i saw the way you spelt mum and reckoned you are not from America!!

 

QUOTE(Twinnylou @ Dec 12 2007, 10:15 AM) [snapback]530503[/snapback]
There was always around 4-5 days between my two and both were fine. Even after they were born Sophie has always been the smallest one/ Try not to worry about it too much .Sounds like you have a fantastic and reasurring doctor there!!

P.s If you dont mine me asking where are from? Its just that i saw the way you spelt mum and reckoned you are not from America!!



I don't mind at all! I'm from Ottawa, Canada, actually! I just spelled mom that way because that's how my best friend always spells it, so I thought, why not? She thinks it's cuter that way!

 

My boys are di/di identical and always measured several days apart. The doctor never seemed concerned because they were both growing at a normal rate (FWIW, they were very, very close in size at birth). Either of your babies would have normal measurements for a 12-week ultrasound if they were singletons and that's how I'd look at it. It makes no sense to compare them to each other when they're di/di.

I also think it was irresponsible for your doctor to start talking about worst case scenarios. If it were me, I'd switch doctor's. He's not going to change and I know I couldn't have enjoyed my pregnancy with that much negativity. My doctor was his polar opposite (don't worry about problems you don't have philosophy) and I'm convinced it helped me.

 

It doesn't seem like it is really that big a problem. Your smallest is only measuring a couple of days less than your gestation time. The other one is bigger. I am not a doctor, so I don't know but it doesn't make sense that it would be that big a concern at this point. Try not to freak out too much at this point. You may want to consider a second opinion or switching OB's if he is going to be this alarmist. He seems a little insensitive to me. Hang in there. :hug99:

 

At my 16 week appointment my twins were meausuring 4 days different. I just had an u/s today and they are both measuring exact with the other - they are big and healthy!

Don't worry.... I came on here with the same exact worries as you have after my 16 week u/s. Everything with my twins is completely normal and healthy.

 

Also keep in mind that ultrasound isn't perfect. If the tech is off (or doctor is off) at measuring even a millimeter that can sometimes change the date - especially early on when they are measuring such small increments anyway. Try to stay positive.

 

My babies measured 4 days apart my entire pregnancy.. I think they were just concieved on different days! They were born full term with no issues and never really measured the same. Even now my DS weighs more than my DD.

 

My twins were about 1-2 week apart the whole time... A is just a bigger baby. He was born at 7 lbs and 20.5 inches and B was born at 5lbs 11 oz and 18.5 inches.. She is still tiny and there is aout a 5 lb diff in the 2!

 

My Baby B was always 2 weeks bigger than Baby A, who measured right for dates. We know they were conceived at the same time, because we did IVF. they are both perfectly fine now at 7.5 weeks old, and Baby B is 1 lb bigger than Baby A. They were born weighing 3 lbs 11 oz (Baby A) and 4 lbs 7 oz (Baby B). Interestingly, it was my little guy who cruised through the NICU and my big guy took a little longer. Small and mighty!