Scared- pregnant for the first time, just found out with probably with identical twins at 9 weeks- s

I found out Friday at my first pregnancy at age 35 we are having TWINS. They are just about 9 weeks. A lot of joy and elation at first,even w/ risk of higher complications and having to leave work earlier. Now, that has turned to fear of losing my babies because I found out today they are mostl likely identical. And I heard about something called twin-to-twin transfusion and that complications are MUCH greater with ID twins.

Does anyone have statistics on how often this happens with identical twins? What age in weeks the onsets are? How often it results in death or brain damage in one or both of the babies? My next ultrasound isn't for 3 weeks (I'll be 12 weeks) and my next OB appointment isn't until 16 weeks. Am I/my babies at risk before then?

Can people tell me if the odds are the same for other complications like high blood pressure as fraternal twins?

-Elated but terriefied.

:icon_eek:

 

Hi and Welcome to TS. This is a fantastic site and there are many, many women on here who have sucessfully delivered identicals with and without TTTS. Did you Dr. tell you why he or she thought you were having identicals?

I have fraternal boys so I am no help there but I just wanted to chime in and let you know that you are in fantastic company. Congrats on your pregnancy. :hug99:

 

Did they only see one placenta? Is there a membrane separating the twins? If the membrane is "thin" that is one reason they will sometimes tell you they are identical, even though there's no way to know for sure unless they are monoamniotic or conjoined.

Try to relax -- it's really the best thing you can do for your babies right now. Oh, and congratulations!!

 

I am sorry I don't have any stats for you. I do have ID twins who are 3 though we were told from the start they were frat as they had their own sacs and placentas. One thing I can tell you is take care of yourself and don't stress now, enjoy yourself now in knowing that you are blessed with twins!! Congratulations and welcome to TS. We do have several forums here with moms and dads that have experience with all kinds of challenges. Check out this link

 

Hi! Welcome and congratulations! You definitely have the odds in your favor as far as TTTS goes- I think the chances are only 5-10%. With id's you'll be monitored more closely. Ask to be set up with a perinatologist- they specialize in high risk pregnancies (being pg w/ twins alone is considered high risk, so don't be alarmed.) I worked up until the day I delivered and had no complications (and I'm also 35.) There are tons of people on this site that can give you lots of information and support- you are in the right place!!!

 

QUOTE(DATJMom @ Apr 30 2008, 09:30 PM) [snapback]749468[/snapback]
Hi and Welcome to TS. This is a fantastic site and there are many, many women on here who have sucessfully delivered identicals with and without TTTS. Did you Dr. tell you why he or she thought you were having identicals?

I have fraternal boys so I am no help there but I just wanted to chime in and let you know that you are in fantastic company. Congrats on your pregnancy. :hug99:



She said for two reasons- I had very early vaginal ultrasounds because at first I thought something was wrong with me and I wasn't pregnant (gained 5 lbs overnight, sore boobs) and took to home over the counter pregnancy tests that came up negative... And she only saw one egg/sac at first...

And last week's ultrasound there was hardly any space/amnio sacs looked really thin between, she said almost positively IDs... she's seen several sets...

And thanks!

 

QUOTE(Ellen Barr @ Apr 30 2008, 09:35 PM) [snapback]749476[/snapback]
Did they only see one placenta? Is there a membrane separating the twins? If the membrane is "thin" that is one reason they will sometimes tell you they are identical, even though there's no way to know for sure unless they are monoamniotic or conjoined.

Try to relax -- it's really the best thing you can do for your babies right now. Oh, and congratulations!!



Thanks! She said because the membrane thingy was thin, and she only saw 1 at early vaginal ultrasounds....

Thank you!

QUOTE(Mum2TwinBoys @ Apr 30 2008, 09:43 PM) [snapback]749496[/snapback]
I am sorry I don't have any stats for you. I do have ID twins who are 3 though we were told from the start they were frat as they had their own sacs and placentas. One thing I can tell you is take care of yourself and don't stress now, enjoy yourself now in knowing that you are blessed with twins!! Congratulations and welcome to TS. We do have several forums here with moms and dads that have experience with all kinds of challenges. Check out this link



THanks! And your boys are adorable... I'll check out the link!

 

QUOTE(Jenn G @ Apr 30 2008, 09:54 PM) [snapback]749521[/snapback]
Hi! Welcome and congratulations! You definitely have the odds in your favor as far as TTTS goes- I think the chances are only 5-10%. With id's you'll be monitored more closely. Ask to be set up with a perinatologist- they specialize in high risk pregnancies (being pg w/ twins alone is considered high risk, so don't be alarmed.) I worked up until the day I delivered and had no complications (and I'm also 35.) There are tons of people on this site that can give you lots of information and support- you are in the right place!!!



Thank you so much... maybe I will ask to see the specialist, my OB who is great (only Dr. who EVER showed me how to do a breast exam, and whipped me through the system after MONTHS with an awful OB, to do laparoscopy and hysteroscopy and found my complete cerival stenosis through another specialsist) said I could see her as long as there didn't end up having complications. I like and trust her, but maybe I will ask as well...

Thank you so much! I am also SO glad to hear that you worked until the day before you delivered bcause work is another issue... she said I should stop at 28 weeks which means my job would be lost/not held for me... glad to know it is possible sometimes

I have Kaiser, so things are hard to manuver.... when should I see the specialist? Is it OK until after I see my OB next at 16 weeks (I'm 9 weeks now)...?

 

Hi.. welcome to TS... I am currently pregnant with identical twin girls.. mine share 1 chorion sac and share a placenta. I know how scary all this information can be so try hard to just relax and enjoy this time. You will have time to learn it all without overloading your brain and making yourself go nutso. These ladies are great and you will enjoy being here.

IMHO I think that waiting until 16 weeks to see your OB again is a bit long. I would say that you should be seeing your OB no longer then every 4 weeks.

 

Congratulations on your twins and welcome to Twinstuff.

At my first ultrasound, I was told by my doctor that she saw a seperating membrane and that I had di/di twins. After delivering my twins at 37 weeks and 5 days, the pathology report confirmed that I only had one placenta, thus mono/di twins. I will say I am glad that I didn't know as I tend to really worry unecessarily about things. I am sure that everything will be fine. Try and enjoy this time. I wish now that I would have enjoyed being pregnant more and not worried so much.

Good luck to you

 

Congratulations! I had mono/di boys last year. The doctors sometimes don't talk about TTTS just because the risk is fairly low but I found the most valuable resource for information and support for this is the TTTS foundation. Here is the link: http://www.tttsfoundation.org/. The creater, Mary, called me directly, they sent a huge amount of information, and followed my pregnancy until after my delivery to find out how I was doing and if TTTS had been found. For your own peace of mind I think it is worth getting the info and checking if your doctor or another in the area has experience with this. Good luck!

 

My boys had TTTS, and they will be 3 on Saturday. You would never know there were any complications at pregnancy and birth. Yes, they were super preemies and yes, they were in the NICU awhile but they are great!
Hang in there, sometimes the more you research the more paranoid you become!

 

CONGRATULATIONS on your TWINS!!!
I am so glad you found us!! this is a great place for great info! there are so many experienced moms on here that are so wonderful about answering questions! I know they helped me through my pregnancy! I was able to get answers even in the middle of the night! :sign0016: to TS!!!

 

I had mo/di twins and I delivered at 38w4d. Both came home with me. We were diagnosed with TTTS at 17 weeks. After a couple weeks on bedrest, the TTTS stabilized and we got all the way to delivery with no other problems. It was a rough ride!

To answer your questions, yes, you can have problems with pre-e, blood pressure, cervix, pre-term labor etc, the normal stuff when you're dealing with ANY twin or singleton pregnancy.

Also, the rate of having TTTS is more like 10-15% of mo/di and mo/mo pregnancies. You can check out the TTTS foundation website for more info. It is more common than many realize - with a shared placenta, there will be shared blood connections, it's just the severity of those blood connections that matter - TTTS can be mild and never found, or serious and treated aggressively.

In any case, TTTS usually starts showing up somewhere between 16-28 weeks (it can show up after that too, but at that point, they often deliver instead of treat in other ways). In that time, there are several options for treatment. I would recommend u/s to check for it at least every other week. Some signs of TTTS are uneven fluid levels (polyhydramnios/oligohydramnios - or too much/too little), abnormal cord doppler/blood flow, non-visible bladders, thickening of the heart, hydrops, growth/size discordance. The treatments are varied depending on the case - but they can do amnios to remove the excess fluid, laser surgery to stop the connecting vessels, bedrest and protein drinks. There are MANY options for the treatment of TTTS, once you are diagnosed. I would aks to be seen by a peri periodically.

Also, stop worrying about it for now - TTTS cannot be diagnosed this early - it's just something you have to watch for after about week 16-18 or so.

Please relax for now - if there's one thing I learned about our fight with TTTS, is there's some things within your control and some things that are not. You can only do what you can do, and advocate for your babies in the best way possible, and then hope. Stay positive - the majority of mo/di twin pregnancies are just fine and have no problems! Even with problems, we still had a happy ending!

PM me anytime, I'm here for support!

Jenny

 

QUOTE(desolation_anonymous @ Apr 30 2008, 11:09 PM) [snapback]749550[/snapback]
Thank you so much... maybe I will ask to see the specialist, my OB who is great (only Dr. who EVER showed me how to do a breast exam, and whipped me through the system after MONTHS with an awful OB, to do laparoscopy and hysteroscopy and found my complete cerival stenosis through another specialsist) said I could see her as long as there didn't end up having complications. I like and trust her, but maybe I will ask as well...

Thank you so much! I am also SO glad to hear that you worked until the day before you delivered bcause work is another issue... she said I should stop at 28 weeks which means my job would be lost/not held for me... glad to know it is possible sometimes

I have Kaiser, so things are hard to manuver.... when should I see the specialist? Is it OK until after I see my OB next at 16 weeks (I'm 9 weeks now)...?


I saw the peri at 7 weeks because they first suspected that my boys were mono/mono (one placenta, one sac) so they wanted me to have a high resolution u/s done (they were mono/di) Then I went back at 11 weeks for the nuchal scan and then again at 16 for the anatomy scan and then I was there every 2 weeks for monitoring. Also because of my age (we're considered advanced maternal age) that put me into another "risk" category. I would definitely inquire about it. You should be monitored very closely with id's.
As far as work goes, I work at a desk all day- if I'd been on my feet I never would have made it as far as I did (just a heads up if your job doesn't involve sitting on your butt all day!) My ob wanted me to stop at 28 weeks, too, but she was ok with me working as long as I was ok. I actually worked on a Friday and had a weekend full of braxton hicks and on Monday decided I was done and let my boss know that morning and my boys were born that same afternoon!
Good luck again and welcome. Try not to worry and enjoy this time!!

 

Congrats on your twins.

 

Congrats on your twins! I have ID girls and we probably had a case of TTTS (as discovered after their birth adn the placental pathology). It certainly isn't anything to worry about unless your peri thinks it is. Proper monitoring is crucial, though and I'm surprised you have to wait 16 weeks to see the doctor.

In any case, I'm glad you found our site! We look forward to getting to know you!

 

QUOTE(Jenn G @ May 1 2008, 06:05 PM) [snapback]751003[/snapback]
I saw the peri at 7 weeks because they first suspected that my boys were mono/mono (one placenta, one sac) so they wanted me to have a high resolution u/s done (they were mono/di) Then I went back at 11 weeks for the nuchal scan and then again at 16 for the anatomy scan and then I was there every 2 weeks for monitoring. Also because of my age (we're considered advanced maternal age) that put me into another "risk" category. I would definitely inquire about it. You should be monitored very closely with id's.
As far as work goes, I work at a desk all day- if I'd been on my feet I never would have made it as far as I did (just a heads up if your job doesn't involve sitting on your butt all day!) My ob wanted me to stop at 28 weeks, too, but she was ok with me working as long as I was ok. I actually worked on a Friday and had a weekend full of braxton hicks and on Monday decided I was done and let my boss know that morning and my boys were born that same afternoon!
Good luck again and welcome. Try not to worry and enjoy this time!!



Thanks! Yeah, I have a scan on May 22nd but don't see my OB until June 16th- I'm thinking about sending her an email saying I am a little nervous about waiting that long so could they fit me in before her vacation, and I told her I didn't want to see the Peri (because she is so good, she is the best OB I've had...) when she said I could see her as long as complications don't arise... but I'm thinking about asking her if I can get referred just so there but still see her so there is some relationship there in case things have problems....

 

QUOTE(desolation_anonymous @ May 5 2008, 07:32 PM) [snapback]756716[/snapback]
and I told her I didn't want to see the Peri (because she is so good, she is the best OB I've had...) when she said I could see her as long as complications don't arise... but I'm thinking about asking her if I can get referred just so there but still see her so there is some relationship there in case things have problems....


I really loved having a Peri follow me too as well as my OB and I loved my OB. But with twins, I really wanted someone who had a more high risk background following me in case issues arise (which they did) and I loved having extra ultrasounds and monitoring.

 

I know it's hard not to be anxious when you everybody wants to tell you how having IDs is riskier than fraternals. You start feeling like the world wants to usurp the joy you feel about these two little babies. . . Don't let that joy be stolen. There are plenty of families on here who have had healthy IDs. And even those of us who've dealt with TTTS can offer up some hope with our experiences.

I personally am dealing with Stage I TTTS and have been since 20 weeks. I'm on hospital bedrest now, but my babies continue to grow and get stronger. I did not have the laser surgery or amnio reductions. I think making sure your babies are being monitored often and knowing your options in case you do get some higher risk news helps you mentally be prepared.

I hope you do not have to deal with any of those issues, but if there is anything i would recommend to twin mom pregnancies, it would be to rest, rest, rest and stay nourished.

 

Hi there and congrats! We found out we were having twins at 10 weeks and were very surprised (we have an 8 month old still breastfeeding at the time) and we were sure they were identical. At my level 2 u/s (16 weeks) they said it looked like a single placenta and the membrane was extremely thin. We are having 2 boys and are pretty sure that they are identical. I have the same worries as you but my doc is following me closely and I am TRYING to take it easy..Good luck.

 

QUOTE(mstofko21 @ May 8 2008, 11:57 AM) [snapback]762827[/snapback]
Hi there and congrats! We found out we were having twins at 10 weeks and were very surprised (we have an 8 month old still breastfeeding at the time) and we were sure they were identical. At my level 2 u/s (16 weeks) they said it looked like a single placenta and the membrane was extremely thin. We are having 2 boys and are pretty sure that they are identical. I have the same worries as you but my doc is following me closely and I am TRYING to take it easy..Good luck.



Awsome! Thanks for the reply. Keep in touch? I hope you don't mind, I added you as a friend... It would be great to talk to someone else going through the ID twin worries/scares