New here - Identical twins and have Questions!

Hi!
I just found out I'm pg with identical twins. We did IVF and transferred two blast but apparently only one took and split. At my first u/s at 6 weeks/5days they saw one gestational sac and two yolks. It was too early to see a membrane though. Does anyone know if two yolk indicate that they have separate amniotic sacs? I got back tomorrow for another u/s but I'll only be 7 weeks/5days and not sure if the membrane will be visible yet.

Thanks!
Lora

 

Hi!
I just found out I'm pg with identical twins. We did IVF and transferred two blast but apparently only one took and split. At my first u/s at 6 weeks/5days they saw one gestational sac and two yolks. It was too early to see a membrane though. Does anyone know if two yolk indicate that they have separate amniotic sacs? I got back tomorrow for another u/s but I'll only be 7 weeks/5days and not sure if the membrane will be visible yet.

Thanks!
Lora

 

Hi Lora! First of all, congrats with your pregnancy!

I found this webpage months ago because I was curious about this as well. Hope this helps!

http://www.kenes.com/cogibook1999/Can_Ultr..._Pregnancy.html

 

Lori,

Congrats! It's often hard to see the membrane this early. Do you know if there is 1 placenta or 2? I'm guessing 1, since you said they are identical. anyway, visit the health board and/or tttsfoundation.org to educated yourself about TTTS and how to monitor for it. Best wishes and Congrats again!

 

2 yolks can be in 1 sac, if I remember correctly.

 

I had my first u/s at 8 weeks and at the time we could not really see the membrane, but we could see the two yolk sacs which both turned into placentas. Eventually the membrane developed and the two sacs could be seen, but the membrane was always very fine. The technician initially thought the boys were identical. My boys are now 9 months and we still do not know if they are identical or not. Sometimes they look exactly the same and other times they look so different (to me!) that I think they are fraternal!

Either way, it is wonderful!

 

My two are ID - we could see two sacs, and one placenta from the very beginning. The membrane was always impossible to find! Sometimes they couldn't even get a picture of it.

If they are sure you are ID - just make sure to be monitored every other week throughout your pregnancy to keep an eye out for ttts

 

From my research,knowledge, and understanding, if you can see two yolk sacs, it's almost positive that you have two amniotic sacs. A membrane can be very hard to see early on and this can depend on how advanced the ultrasound machine is. This time, at 9 weeks, our OB was pretty sure that our twins shared a placenta but had separate amniotic sacs. It was confirmed at 10.5 weeks at the perinatologist's (who also have a better ultrasound machine).

Congratulations on your twins!!

 

We also did IVF and our girls were in 2 sacs from the very first ultrasound at 5 weeks.

CONGRATULATIONS!! isn't the whole process amazing!! my girls are 12 days old now and I just sit and stare at them! I cannot believe that the picture of the 2 embryos they gave me on the day of my transfer are now my beautiful baby girls!!!

 

I am not 100% sure my twins are identical. The doctors (peri, ob and other specialist) all are almost definite that my twins are identical. They are monochorionic, diamniotic, and same sex (girls). I had my first u/s at 9 weeks. My ob sent me to her husband who is a feritility specialist to do my firs U/s (a TVS). At first we only saw one baby - but then he noticed a second yolk sac and moved the 'wand' and saw the other baby. It was difficult to find the membrane separating the two - and he wasn't sure at that time if there was one. I had another u/s done (because I had begun spotting) at 12 weeks at a radioligists office and he was able to find the faint line of the membrane and one placenta. They figured the spotting was from the placenta attaching to the uterus.
I guess you never know about identical or fraternal (unless you have mo-mos)But all of the 'experts' are most certain that these girls are identical.
We'll see
Good Luck!
Alex
Mom to Alysa 5/4/01, Nick 10/3/03, and twin girls edd 3/24/07

 

Alexsharp if your twins are mo/di they are identical. two amniotic sacs sharing one placenta. That is always identical..

 

My first u/s at 7 weeks showed 2 yolk sacs and one amniotic sac. The tech said that 2 yolk sacs was essential for survival of both fetuses, so my understanding was that all twins pregnancies have two. At my next u/s at 11 weeks the separation of amniotic sacs was visible. So thankfully, so babies are in their own amniotic sacs, but share a placenta (which I think all identicals do). So, based on my limited experience, you still might not be able to see if there is separation at your next u/s.

Best wishes and congrats!

Jennifer

 

I don't know for sure if that means they are in two sacs. But I am 21 weeks with identical boys and from everything my doctor has told me it is very unusual for them to be in the same sac. Most identicals are in two sacs and have one placenta. I go to my ob every two weeks and the perinatologist every two to three weeks. They will do a lot of u/s just to make sure that they are growing at the same rate. Just ask a lot of questions that's what they are there for. Congrats on the twins it is so exciting and you will love every minute. You will also worry but as time goes on you will become more sure of everything. You will also get to see your little guys all the time which is really cool!