Question about Identical vs. Fraternal

I am just wondering for those of you who have been on this site for a while reading birth stories. Does it seem like mono-chorionic twins are born earlier than Di-chorionic twins? Just curious, because obviously it is more likely that there would be placenta issues with monochorionic. It just seems like my ob is really thinking that I will deliver somewhere between 34-36 weeks, but it seems like a lot of ladies are able to go longer. Mine are mono/di, and yes I am very uncomfortable but want to keep them in as long as it is good for them.

 

This is a great question.... I want to know the answer as well. My twins are mono di.

 

I don't know if they are "naturally" born earlier, or if docs just prefer to deliver them earlier because of complications with placenta, slowed growth, etc.

 

I don't know statistics but I have mono di twins and I delivered at 39 weeks. I think it depends on your doctor and what they feel comfortable with. I wish you all the best and hope you go as long as possible.

 

A woman I know had mono-mono (same placenta, same sac) twins. Her doc scheduled a c-section for 32 weeks b/c he was worried the babies would hurt each other. He said that was standard for mono-mono.

I have dichrionotic identical twins and carried to 38 weeks before being induced. don't know any standards for mono-di twins.

 

It's kind of ironic...but my sister and I were probably mono-mono twins... my mom tells me we were in the same sac and shared the same placenta...but they didn't know that she was having twins... I believe we came around 2 weeks early, and we were both healthy and over six pounds each. So you never know. i would think that they would monitor things more carefully...that even if the growth looks good they might want to keep an eye on how the cord looks b/c of it wrapping around one of the babies...just more likely that the cord might get compressed I would think...

 

There is a wide variety of opinions in regards to this issue. I am quite jaded since my mo/di pregnancy was complicated by TTTS and I know of women who have lost their babies at 34 weeks due to acute TTTS. If I were to ever carry mo/di babies again, I would insist on 2 ultrasounds every week from week 16 on, NST's 3x/week from week 26 on and hospitalization at 32 weeks for continuous monitoring. I know my doctor would do that because of the complications I had with my last 2 pregnancies.

If I were you, I would at least be pushing for NST's 2-3 times per week with an ultrasound weekly. If there is any indication that either baby is starting to develop a problem, I would take them IMMEDIATELY. It is far different having a monochorionic pregnancy and there is definitely a time when it safer to have them out then have them in. My sons were born at 29 weeks -- had they left them in I am POSITIVE they would not be here today. Some women can safely go to term, some can't. It all depends on the placenta.

 

My dd's twins were mono/di and born at 36w 1d via scheduled c-section.

 

My mono-di boys were born at 37 weeks. I was induced due to pre-e (which would have happened regardless of what kind of twins I was carrying). They were not ready to be born yet. They were quite comfortable and it was a hard inducement. Anyway, neither my OB nor I were going to take the babies early unless there was some medical indication (which there was in the case of my health, not the babies). Should I carry another set of IDs, the only thing I would do different would be to request u/s more often (they were every other week at the end).

 

I'm sure that if you look at a large sample, you would find more issues and earlier average deliveries with mono/di than with di/di. Sure, there are exceptions to everything but the fact is that there is a greater risk when the placenta is shared.

FWIW, my OB thought I'd deliver around 34-37 weeks simply because that is when most twin pregnancies deliver. It had nothing to do with my individual circumstances. We induced at 39 (di/di) with no complications at all other than my rising blood pressure.