24 weeks Pregnant with Twins

by Aimee
(Chester, England)

At 24 weeks, very sore!

I found out I was pregnant a week before my 17th birthday, 2 weeks later at 6 weeks, i found out i was expecting twins!!! At 14 weeks we found out they were identical and at 16 weeks found out they were girls!

My stomach grew VERY big, very quickly which concerned doctors. At 24 weeks, My fundus height was 42cm (basically I was the same size as a singleton mum at 42 weeks!)

I looked ready to pop!

At 24 weeks, they were diagnosed with a condition called Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome which affects 1 in 7 identical twin pregnancies. It is a disease of the placenta which causes an imbalanced blood flow between the babies meaning one gets more blood than the other, hence the 'transfusion'.

It carries a high mortality rate.

I was monitored extremely closely for 4 weeks before the twins were delivered by emergency c-section at 28 weeks due to near heart failure of twin 1.

They were born 12 weeks early, on 18th December 2004 (7 days before xmas!) weighing 2lb 12.5oz and 1lb 15.5oz.

They fought for life for 11 weeks before coming home!

They are now 3.5 years old!