Very little in life compares to the joy of finding out that one is expecting twins. While for the parents there will be double joy there can be additional complications because of the pregnancy. Tragedy can occur when complications are dangerous to the mother and or the unborn fetus. The situation of Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome is one such example. If not dealt with in the right way by the attending physicians there could be tragic consequences for the unborn twins.
The placenta would be shared in this situation. If a fertilized egg took more than four days to separate then a monochorionic placenta would develop. In majority of these situations the placenta can balance nutrients and blood flow to both babies.
Unusual blood vessels can be found in twins that shared monchorionic placenta. This will affect about twenty five percent of twins. When the blood flow is unbalanced then one baby would act like a placental blood filter. The baby would pump blood for both of them and this baby would be called the donor twin.
This causes excessive strain on the little heart and this leads to poor development. In turn, the recipient baby receives too much blood and thus develops too quickly. This results in an over-sized amniotic sac.
Health care workers are charged with the job to keep a look out for the existence of such situations. Any abnormalities during the pregnancy should be duly noted and relayed to the attending physician. Signs of abnormal weight gain, fetuses that are of a different size are some indicators that all is not well with mother and or the fetuses.
If the condition is arrested early enough then there are options to treat this. The one option is to drain excessive liquid from the donor fetus. This process is known as amnioreduction. In conjunction with amnioreduction, it is normal for a septostomy to also be done. Abnormal blood vessels can be destroyed with laser therapy.
Correct prenatal care is essential during pregnancy and more so in the case where it is a high risk issue. Parents are able to lodge claims against medical practitioners if it is felt that negligence was the case when something goes wrong with a pregnancy. Should one of the fetuses die or experience severe problems then parents can sue the doctor. This would also apply in the instance of Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome, where medical staff did not take appropriate action in attendance of the mother.
Looking for more info on twin to twin transfusion syndrome? Get the inside skinny on this as well as the best Twin-to-Twin Transfusion lawyer now in our Birth Injury Firm overview.
