Mono/Di/? and other early questions...

Discussion in 'Pregnancy Help' started by leaudemiel, Dec 10, 2009.

  1. leaudemiel

    leaudemiel Well-Known Member

    Hello all. I am 11 weeks along. Finally not nauseus. Ready to not be tired all the time!

    I read a lot about mono/mono and mono/di and di/di twins, and I am wondering at what point we should know that stuff? We've seen the babies twice now, once at 7 weeks when we went in looking for a heartbeat and found two, and yesterday. There is clearly a membrane, but the doctor did not elaborate about sacs or sharing or anything...

    We see the maternal fetal medicine specialist next Thursday for the NT exam, and they say they will be doing an average since they're twins.

    I am just confused. I am wondering if I need more information or if I need a perinatologist or if I am just getting worried because I never believed this would be happening.

    There are six hospitals within a 30 minute drive of us, and right now we're going to one with a level 3 NICU. Its closest, and affiliated with my OB. We originally signed up there for the midwives, but that isn't really happening anymore. Should I be asking to switch around to the hospital with the level 4?

    I just feel a bit lost. Any input would be great.
    Mel
     
  2. rebeccah

    rebeccah Member

    Welcome! I am also 11 weeks (today) and go in for my next u/s next week. I plan on asking the dr a lot of questions then. But I can tell you that a maternal-fetal specialist is the same as a perinatologist. So you already have an appointment with a perinatologist! I bet you will find out a lot more at that appointment. Make a list of questions as they come up between now and then.

    Congrats on feeling better! I'm better but not great, and still very tired. But it's worth it!!

    Rebecca
     
  3. leaudemiel

    leaudemiel Well-Known Member

    Rebecca, you just blew my mind! :) Thank you! Ok. I feel much better already then! Maybe after all this we should all write a manual for doctors to hand out. "So, you're having two babies..."

    THANK YOU!
     
  4. citizenpelikan

    citizenpelikan Well-Known Member

    I'm having fraternal twins (di/di) and was told that during my very first u/s at 7 weeks. At my u/ss they always seem to check that out especially well (something about twin peaks and sacks and membranes and blah blah) so I'm sure they did even though they forgot to explain it thoroughly.

    Have a list of questions ready because they don't always remember to tell you everything. Like at my 12 week u/s I forgot to ask my twinkies' size and if there was much difference in size between them.
     
  5. emp59

    emp59 Well-Known Member

    Your doctor seeing a membrane may still indicate that you are having mono-di twins, but not momo twins which is good :) When you go see the maternal fetal medicine doc, they will do another ultrasound and decide if they think your twins are sharing a placenta (mono-di) or each have their own. If your twins are mono di, I would request to have an u/s every two weeks to measure the fluid levels to watch for twin to twin transfusion. When I started going to the perinatologist, I would come onto this site and look for questions other's moms were asking and write them down. Sometimes you don't even realize what you want to know until someone else asks it :)

    Good luck at your appt :)
     
  6. Jenn G

    Jenn G Well-Known Member

    Congratulations on your twins!! This is a great place to be for questions- don't google anything because the internet can be scary! There are plenty of informative people on here who have been just where you are now!!
    Since you've seen your twins so early in your pg you should be able to know if they are mono/di or di/di. The peri should be able to tell you that. I agree with everyone else- bring a list of questions to ask. Good luck and welcome to twinstuff!! :)
     
  7. cat mommy

    cat mommy Well-Known Member

    Level III is just fine. Level IVs can do complex things like complicated heart surgery, but few babies need such complex care and can be transported there just for surgery and then returned to the Level III.
     
  8. ChaoticMum

    ChaoticMum Well-Known Member

    Just to let you know they still could be identical! :) Unless you end up having boy/girl twins you won't know for sure without DNA. The Di/Di just means they have their own sacs and own placentas. Identicals that divide completely in the first 3 days will have their own also.

    As for the OP, I never ever did see a peri with my twin pregnancy - I had mono/di twins (they shared one placenta but had their own sacs) and because their growth was always quite even I was never referred to one. There ARE no peri's in the city closest to me, I would have had to go 3hrs away to see one if it was required. I was looked after by a regular OB. I DID have to transfer from my GP tho - she did not feel safe with mono/di's as she'd never monitored a preg like that before.
     
  9. lianyla

    lianyla Well-Known Member

    Were they each in their own "black hole" or were there two babies in ONE black hole?

    IF you have a choice, you NEED to be seen by a specialist. It's high risk to have them sharing something and needs to be treated as such. I know lots of people have zero problems w/ monodi twins.. but lots of them do so good job seeing a specialist. It always amazes me when docs don't tell you this BASIC info! ANOTHER reason we need specialists!
     
  10. citizenpelikan

    citizenpelikan Well-Known Member

    You're absolutely right. I'll correct my choice of words. Thanks.
     
  11. ChaoticMum

    ChaoticMum Well-Known Member


    ahh no worries! :) Just wanted to let you know in case you didn't. Its AMAZING how many people get the impression from u/s techs and even some doctors! that di/di automatically means fraternal.....
     
  12. mommylaura

    mommylaura Well-Known Member

    Yep - to echo what others have said, you are fairly certain they are identical if they are sharing a placenta and sac. You are sure they are fraternal if they are b/g. But otherwise, babies who have their own sacs and placentas AND are the same gender could be either. I think a level 3 NICU is great. I personally saw a MFM specialist for all my prenatal care (only because I happen to work at the same hospital as them), but it's not really necessary unless you have a special compication. My treatment hasn't been a whole lot different than my OB would have provided and I think most OBs routinely handle uncompicated twin pregnancies. Congrats on your pregnancy - it's a wonderful experience!
     
  13. lianyla

    lianyla Well-Known Member


    It IS necessary if she is carrying mono di twins. If that is the case, she needs to be seen by a high risk doctor. OBs are NOT trained in TTTS or mono di twins.

    :)
     
  14. leaudemiel

    leaudemiel Well-Known Member

    I never saw the actual doctor whiel I was there, just the nurse and ultrasound tech. I asked about the placentas and they said they "thought" there were two. But I never got the full story... should I be worried?
     
  15. MsTasha

    MsTasha Well-Known Member

    My mantra is that the doctor will tell you when to be worried, other than that, try to relax and enjoy your pregnancy!

    I think the level 3 is fine, but I would say that the maternal fetal specialist will tell you if you need to switch. I haven't seen my peri yet, but my RE's office told me taht the peri will tell me which of the 2 hospitals she delivers at that I should go to (one is level 3 and the other is level 4).
     
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