I feel stupid for asking this...

Ok, I feel a little stupid for not knowing this this late in my pregnancy so I thought I'd finally ask. What does mono/di mean? I thought mono was identical and di was fraternal. I'm just confused.

Since I'm on the topic of stupid questions, lol, I was also wondering why everyone puts a "D" in front of H, D, and S (I know those stand for husband, daughter, and son). I just don't know what the "D" stands for. I'm sure once someone tells me I will say "duh" and be quite embarrassed but I'll never know if I don't ask! :blink:

 

if I understand it right mono/di mean identical but each has own sac.
so they do have membrane between twins

 

Mono/di twins means.....
monochorionic (sharing one placenta)
Diamniotic (each having their own amniotic sac w/in the uterus)

I have posted a link to my early ultrasound as I am carrying mono/di twins. You can see the VERY thin membrane seperating the two. With di/di twins that membrane is much thicker, the babies look as though they are in two completely different uteri (I think anyway).

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g59/j_j0...ncy/Image22.jpg

Also, the D in front means Dear or in referring to a husband that has gotten under your skin...it can mean DARN!

ETA:I looked at the picture after I posted it and you really can't see the membrane all that well on my computer...it is right above the blob that is Baby B, barely visible but it is there.

 

Mono/mono= both babies sharing one placenta and sac

Mono/di= The babies share a placenta, but each is in its own sac inside it

Di/di= The babies each have thier own seperate sacs and placentas


36W4D mono/di boys

 

The first word refers to the chorionity (placentas) and the second to the number of sacs. These describe the inutero environment of the twins. There are two types of twins: monozygotic and dizygotic (meaning they came from one fertilized egg or two). They are described by zygocity, which reflects the genetic type of twins. You can tell whether your twins are identical (monozygotic) or dizygotic (fraternal) in utero only a couple ways:

Identical:
monoamniotic twins are always identical
conjoined twins are always identical

Fraternal:
boy/girl twins are always fraternal

Otherwise, you have to wait until after the birth to do a DNA test or have the placenta tested to see if it's monochorionic (though that's a pretty notoriously inaccurate test).

 

Thank you everyone for clearing that up for me! :FIFblush: