Twins - high risk - one placenta????

[JFK]

A friend of mine just found out she's having twins (now at 13 weeks).
Friday she saw a doctor who specializes in multiples. She was told her
babies are identical and share one placenta and is therefore high risk.
She was put on a low dose of aspirin to increase blood flow since at
this point, the blood flow doesn't seem to be adequate to sustain both
babies. She was also told that if one dies, so will the other since the
share one placenta.

This is all new to us. Has anyone had experience with this? Any
insight/info would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Laurie (mom to Johnny 29Dec01)

[Andrea]

Isn't there a risk of twin to twin transfusion? Sometimes one baby gets more
blood/nurishment from the placenta at the other babies expense. One of the
babies could die of this, but I am sure they will keep an eye on the babies
for this condition. If the condition did develop, then they get the
pregnancy as far as possible then deliver the babies.

I wish your friend the best of luck.

--
Andrea mom of 5 - latest addition Kamron David 12 weeks old weighing 16
pounds.
Fave quote "Mother is the word for God on the lips and hearts of children"
from the film "The Crow".

"JFK" > wrote in message
...
> A friend of mine just found out she's having twins (now at 13 weeks).
> Friday she saw a doctor who specializes in multiples. She was told her
> babies are identical and share one placenta and is therefore high risk.
> She was put on a low dose of aspirin to increase blood flow since at
> this point, the blood flow doesn't seem to be adequate to sustain both
> babies. She was also told that if one dies, so will the other since the
> share one placenta.
>
> This is all new to us. Has anyone had experience with this? Any
> insight/info would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
> Laurie (mom to Johnny 29Dec01)
>

[Taniwha grrrl]

"JFK" > wrote in message

> A friend of mine just found out she's having twins (now at
13 weeks).
> Friday she saw a doctor who specializes in multiples.
She was told her
> babies are identical and share one placenta and is
therefore high risk.

If they do share one placenta it is more high risk, the
babies can suffer from a condition called TTTS (Twin to Twin
Transfusion Syndrome) where the babies get unequal amounts
of blood from the placenta, one gets more and one gets less.

That said iirc 2/3 of monoamniotic twins do share a placenta
so it's a relatively common occurrence and isn't always a
risky situation. And I think something like 10-15% of MA
twins suffer some degree of TTTS.


--
Andrea

If I can't be a good example, then I'll just have to be a
horrible warning.