Update on my mono/di IUGR twins

Hi all

This is the first time I've started a new topic related to my girls, but I have posted a lot of responses to other people's posts so some of you may know my story. I'm currently 29 weeks with mono/di twin girls.

My baby B was diagnosed with selective IUGR at 19 weeks. She was measuring 3 weeks behind her sister (38% smaller), less than 2nd percentile for growth, and her fluid levels were low. We were told by my perinatologist and ultrasound doc that things didn't look good and they suggested possible termination of our smaller baby in the interest of giving the larger one a better chance of survival. Because they share a placenta, their fates are tied, so if one were to go into distress we would have to deliver the other via emergency C. Our emotional roller coaster ride had begun. We decided to keep going with both twins despite the risks, but it was not an easy decision and (this may make some people uncomfortable, please respect my opinions) we did for a time seriously consider termination. However, we are so glad that we chose to keep going and I hope my story will give other people in similar situations the hope and courage to keep going!

I'll sort of skip over most of the details of the in-between period and save that for posting to the "complications" sticky later on...

I am now at 29 weeks and we've seen no absent end-diastolic flow! Baby B's size has hovered around 45% smaller than her sister (and always below 2nd percentile for growth), 4 weeks behind, but her umbilical artery dopplers continue to look good and her fluid levels have improved. Baby A is now over 1100gms and Baby B over 680gms. I never thought we'd make it this far without absent flow, but here we are.

I'd like to thank all the special mamas here for their support and sharing their similar stories. My OB now thinks I can probably make it to 34 or even 36 weeks! I'll keep you all posted on our progress...

 

Thank God for you and your babies! What a wonderful development! May your babies continue to grow and develop!

 

Keep the faith, keep the hope! Congrats on your girls for doing so well!

 

I'm so glad they are doing so well, it's amazing what these little babies can survive when we give them a chance! :wub:

 

Hope everything goes well for you. Keep the optimism! A friend of mine delivered her identicals a month ago with the same complications and they are doing well. I hope all goes well for you all!

 

Hello my name is Laaws. I am new to the forum, but my story is the exact same as yours my twins boys were mono di and they are now 4 their birthday is january 27th tommorrow. My baby A was the on that was the twin that was behind in time and the doctors were telling me the very same thing and I went 34 weeks and 5 days then I was ready to deliver. I was 4 centimeters when I was only 3 and a half months pregnant and my little baby we call the twins big man and little man so my little man is the oldest he is 5 and half hours older then the bigg one but the little one was the one when he was born he was 2 pounds, the big one was 5 they both stayed in the hospital. my little man stayed for about a month and half my bigg one only for a month. I went into the hospital having contractions to deliver at 20 weeks i was open to about 6 centimeters in the hospital that they doctor gave me 2 steriod shots for the twins lungs and I stayed in the hospital for 7 days taking magnesium to slow and stop the contractions. I was not able to eat anything and i was not able to walk around I did everything in the bed for the first 4 days. but the twins are healthy now they are very active. The doctors are going to tell you the worst case senerio because they want you to be aware just in case but if you are 29 weeks now then you just hang in there. You will be fine!!!!! you will probably go at 34 weeks. I went in to deliver a week before my schedule C section was.

If there is anything you need or any information or if you want to talk more about it then I am always here and my story is very long and we have probably been through the exact same things. It helps when you have someone that has been through it. BUT YOU WILL BE FINE. WITH ALL THE TECHNOLOGY THEY HAVE NOW THE BABIES WILL COME OUT AND BE WALKING.

QUOTE(hrm17 @ Jan 26 2009, 05:08 PM) [snapback]1163020[/snapback]
Hi all

This is the first time I've started a new topic related to my girls, but I have posted a lot of responses to other people's posts so some of you may know my story. I'm currently 29 weeks with mono/di twin girls.

My baby B was diagnosed with selective IUGR at 19 weeks. She was measuring 3 weeks behind her sister (38% smaller), less than 2nd percentile for growth, and her fluid levels were low. We were told by my perinatologist and ultrasound doc that things didn't look good and they suggested possible termination of our smaller baby in the interest of giving the larger one a better chance of survival. Because they share a placenta, their fates are tied, so if one were to go into distress we would have to deliver the other via emergency C. Our emotional roller coaster ride had begun. We decided to keep going with both twins despite the risks, but it was not an easy decision and (this may make some people uncomfortable, please respect my opinions) we did for a time seriously consider termination. However, we are so glad that we chose to keep going and I hope my story will give other people in similar situations the hope and courage to keep going!

I'll sort of skip over most of the details of the in-between period and save that for posting to the "complications" sticky later on...

I am now at 29 weeks and we've seen no absent end-diastolic flow! Baby B's size has hovered around 45% smaller than her sister (and always below 2nd percentile for growth), 4 weeks behind, but her umbilical artery dopplers continue to look good and her fluid levels have improved. Baby A is now over 1100gms and Baby B over 680gms. I never thought we'd make it this far without absent flow, but here we are.

I'd like to thank all the special mamas here for their support and sharing their similar stories. My OB now thinks I can probably make it to 34 or even 36 weeks! I'll keep you all posted on our progress...

 

I'm glad to hear your twins are doing well. Your situation is VERY similar to mine except for my twins are fraternal. I too am 29 weeks and one of my twins is suffering from IUGR due to a placental insufficiency. We were also faced with a tough decision, at 26 weeks the doc saw absent blood flow and wanted to either deliver then or risk losing the smaller baby so we decided to wait because it was just too risky. We have been to the doc every Monday since then and each week she is still hanging on and we feel like we should continue to wait. At this point the blood flow is reversed and her health is declining and the doctors are astonished she has managed to hang on this long. We have decided if the option is still there in a couple weeks we will deliver then. (this is also what the doc felt was best)

If you don't mind me asking, is the IUGR to your smaller twin caused by TTTS?
What are the weights of your babies now?

I hope things continue to go well with the umbilical blood flow and both of your little ones continue to grow!
(I hope this all makes sense...it's late here and I really need to be in the bed asleep!)

 

That is wonderful that your little ones are doing so well :hug:
Grow babies grow!!! :good:

 

Thanks for the update HRM, you are doing so well. each week must feel like such a bonus. I really needed to read some positive stories tonight.you are not on bedrest, are you?

 

QUOTE(kymbahlee @ Jan 27 2009, 02:59 AM) [snapback]1163635[/snapback]
Thanks for the update HRM, you are doing so well. each week must feel like such a bonus. I really needed to read some positive stories tonight.you are not on bedrest, are you?


Kymbahlee I just read your update about being in hospital - I'm so sorry! At least you are being monitored! From all the stories I've heard absent flow can come and go, so your little one might just be going through a rough patch. Our little one had elevated flow for several weeks before it dropped back down to normal again, so it could happen for you too. I am not on bedrest yet, but they will admit me to hospital as soon as flow is absent.

mommytobe - Sorry to hear that you are also dealing with this type of complicated issue. In my case, no, the IUGR is not caused by TTTS. My larger baby has all normal readings for fluid, growth, blood flow, etc. so they have ruled out TTTS for now. It could develop later, but I think at this point it would be pretty mild. My girls are about 1100 gms and 670 gms as of last scan a week ago (I think that is about 2.25 lbs and 1.5 lbs).

 

You posted your story in a thread about mine. I'm so glad that the babies seem to be doing so well! Are you being monitored weekly or more often? Are you on bedrest? We're at 21 weeks and are having weekly dopplers at this point and growth scans every 3 weeks. Last time we checked the smaller baby's end diastolic flow twice, the first time it was just slightly elevated and the 2nd time it was competely absent. She had changed positions so that might have something to do with it.

Anyway, I'm thinking and praying for you and your babies! 29 weeks is great, I hope you can make it much much longer!

 

I'm so glad to hear they are doing well. :hug: :hug: You are doing a great job Momma, keep up the wonderful work. I hope things continue to go well. :good:

 

QUOTE(beckylynn @ Jan 27 2009, 01:29 PM) [snapback]1164261[/snapback]
You posted your story in a thread about mine. I'm so glad that the babies seem to be doing so well! Are you being monitored weekly or more often? Are you on bedrest? We're at 21 weeks and are having weekly dopplers at this point and growth scans every 3 weeks.


That is about the same as what I was having at 21 weeks. We were doing bi-weekly until 24 weeks, then they upped it to once a week dopplers, with growth scans every 2 weeks. I'm also having twice a week non-stress tests. I will not be on bedrest until they see absent end-diastolic flow. In fact I'm currently still at work full time, just eating like a pig! It's disgusting! I think I'm going to give it another couple of weeks at work unless things change, I need the money and it keeps me sane.

QUOTE
Last time we checked the smaller baby's end diastolic flow twice, the first time it was just slightly elevated and the 2nd time it was competely absent. She had changed positions so that might have something to do with it.


Also the s/d ratio for end-diastolic flow varies depending on what part of the cord they measure. There is more resistance the farther you get from the baby and closer you get to the placenta. My sonographer usually checks a few different spots on the cord to get an "average" reading.