One twin measuring week behind the other at 7 weeks

Discussion in 'Pregnancy Help' started by hhc, Jun 23, 2009.

  1. hhc

    hhc Well-Known Member

    Hi, I'm new to this forum and was hoping some people who have been through this could share their experiences. I found out at the 6 week u/s that I was pregnant with twins (conceived via IUI). The Dr. only found one heartbeat at that time and told us that he didn't think the 2nd would be viable if we didn't find a heartbeat at my next u/s at 7 weeks.

    At my 7 week u/s, the Dr. saw both heartbeats but still said that he didn't think the 2nd one was viable. He said that it was measuring 1 week behind and was probably growing with chromosomal abnormalities. The 2nd would most likely be crowded out by the 1st healthier baby.

    While I feel very fortunate to be pregnant at all, I still keep hoping for the 2nd one as well. Am I just getting my hopes up? Has anyone had a similar experience and had both babies be born healthy?
     
  2. TwinLove

    TwinLove Well-Known Member

    I haven't had this experience but wanted to send you many positive vibes. :hug: You and the babes are in my thoughts and I hope the second baby makes it. :hug: :hug:
     
  3. jvanmourik

    jvanmourik Well-Known Member

    Dont have any experience, but :hug: your way. I know there are a lot of women who were in a similar situation and have 2 healthy babies. Keep your chin up girl and things may end up turning out wonderful for you too.
     
  4. Dielle

    Dielle Well-Known Member

    I had my first u/s and found out I had twins at 9 weeks. One measured 5 days behind. The OB said, "We'll be cautiously optomistic." Which sounded like the worst thing ever. For the first couple of months, she stayed a week behind, then it grew to farther behind, as she always just grew less than her sister. She stopped growing completely the last month and was 2 1/2 lbs smaller at birth. Now they're 3 1/2 and she's 11 lbs, 3 1/2 inches and 3 1/2 shoe sizes smaller. She has vision problems (nystagmus and she's legally blind), but other than that she's totally healthy, just tiny. Literally she's the size of a small 2 yo. But she's actually less likely to get sick than her sister, is smart as a whip and a total joy. I kind of think 7 weeks is usually too early to tell about chromosomal abnormalities. But the size thing, while scary, doesn't have to be a big deal.
     
  5. amymc72

    amymc72 Well-Known Member

    I have two very good girlfriends who had been advised by their OBs early on that the smaller twin would likely not make it - one had a twin who measured significantly smaller than the other, enough smaller that she didn't tell anyone she was having twins until something like 16 weeks (she was seeing a fertility specialist due to surviving childhood cancer, so she knew she was having twins early in her pregnancy). In both cases, my friends delivered both babies - both sets of twins were preemies, but are doing great today without any problems to speak of. Good luck!
     
  6. acjb2004

    acjb2004 Well-Known Member

    I don't have any experience with this, just wanted to send you some hugs :hug: I will be thinking of you and your little bean.
     
  7. hhc

    hhc Well-Known Member

    Thank you all for the positive thoughts & words of encouragement. Waiting & not knowing is the worst! Well only a few more days to go until my next u/s so wish me luck!
     
  8. kryscline

    kryscline Well-Known Member

    Lots of best wishes for you and your little ones. Prayers going your way.
     
  9. jkopaskabroek

    jkopaskabroek New Member

    Hello,

    I'm experiencing the same issue with my pregnancy. Baby B measured smaller at our first 9 week ultrasound. At week 15 the discordance had grown to 42%. We were sent to the Children's Hospital in Philly to get checked for Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome, but that was not detected. It seems was have placental insufficiency. My babes are monochorionic. The great news is that there has been no change in the discordance in 8 weeks. The babes are both growing at about the same rate, just that one remains about 40% smaller. The docs are very pleased with how well the twins have done.
    We are now in the 24th week and hoping to make it to 32. I have weekly dopplers and they measure the growth every 2 weeks.
    I've heard many good outcomes from this situation.
    Remain hopeful and prayerful.

    Jeanine
     
  10. garden2009

    garden2009 Well-Known Member

    Hi. When my twins were 6 weeks they measured one week apart. My doctor didn't seem concerned about it at all. Then at the appt 2 weeks later they were measuring only a day or 2 apart. Now at 17 weeks they are both healthy and measuring exactly the same!

    Good luck to you. Keep us updated!

    Congrats on your twin pregnancy!
     
  11. sparkle77

    sparkle77 Well-Known Member

    My twins were conceived via IVF and in the early weeks they measured about 4 or 5 days apart. Like the pp, our doctors were not concerned at all. In fact I think the difference in size went all the way back to them being embryos at the blastocyst stage -- some just developed faster than the others. They are now almost exactly equal. I dont think its necessarily a sign of trouble ahead, but big hugs to you all the same. :hug:
     
  12. hhc

    hhc Well-Known Member

    Thank you all for continuing to post encouraging outcomes! This has been an invaluable source of support over the weeks. I recently became aware that other people may be reading this post because they're in a similar situation so here's an update.

    I'm currently about 10 weeks past my IUI and heard both strong heartbeats as recently as yesterday. I had an ultrasound at 9 weeks 3 days:
    Baby A - measured 9 weeks 5 days; heart rate of ~185 (was swimming laps at the time :p )
    Baby B - measured 8 weeks 4 days; heart rate of ~165
    They have separate placentas and sacs. While Baby B is consistently behind by about 1 week, they are both growing appropriately from 1 week to the next.

    My regular OB is much more optimistic than my RE although if I so much as sneeze they want to see me. I'm still told that it could still go either way for Baby B but that each passing week with growth is a very good sign. I also had a vanishing triplet which couldn't be seen as of my last ultrasound so my OBs are being extra diligent with these 2 which I appreciate. My next ultrasound isn't until the 12 week mark and that's the genetic screening at the hospital. I'm dreading this since I had a false positive with my previous pregnancy but hopefully, all goes well then too and I can be done with the scares already!
     
  13. TwinLove

    TwinLove Well-Known Member

    :hug: I'm glad your OB is optimistic, it's all anyone can be. :hug: I hope baby B continues to grow well. Good luck at your next appointment and keep us updated. :good:
     
  14. Emily@Home

    Emily@Home Well-Known Member

    Do you know if your twins are monochorionic?

    Prayers for you and babies. . . the anxiety is the pits for sure.
     
  15. mattsara09

    mattsara09 Member

    My wife's first U/S was at 7 or 8 weeks and one baby was measuring 6 or 7 days behind the other. When we went back at 10 weeks they were only a day apart. We had another at 16 weeks and they are just a day different.
     
  16. hhc

    hhc Well-Known Member

    Since there's 2 placentas & 2 sacs, I believe that means their dichorionic diamniotic? I'm not too familiar w/ the terminology, my doctors keep the medical terms to a minimum.
     
  17. Emily@Home

    Emily@Home Well-Known Member

    Yes, I believe that to be correct. . . and I just wanted to say that rules TTTS out! (a good thing)

    Prayers and best wishes!
     
  18. serialmommy

    serialmommy Well-Known Member

    i found out at 12 weeks that we were expecting twins..i did the genetic test that had the u/s included..at the time..baby a (who is jack) was measuring 5-6 days smaller than baby b (who is abbey)...he gradually caught up to her in size...however at 33 weeks, abbey passed him again by almost an entire pound and they were 14% different in size..it may just mean that abbey is meant to be bigger than jack..i have another u/s next thursday (which will put me at 37 weeks) and we'll check their size again then...i want to say each baby will grow their own way, just like each pregnancy will go it's own way...take reassurance that both babies continue to grow and keep going from there...
     
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