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Suggest Treatment For Discordant Twins

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Posted on Tue, 6 May 2014
Question: I am pregnant and completing my 20th week. I had conceived for twins, later during 16th week during scanning we found that only one of the fetus is growing normally and for other there is no growth observed. Due to this, I have been asked to go for TIFFA scanning at 22nd week. Is there any risk I am carrying? if any abnormalities found during TIFFA scanning, what is the next step or is there any remedy available for it? Please advise. thanks, XXXXXX
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Answered by Dr. Madhuri N Bagde (28 minutes later)
Brief Answer: Detailed answer below. Detailed Answer: Hello and welcome, I am Dr Madhuri a consultant gynecologist and will be helping you in your queries. I am delighted to answer questions related to twins as this was my thesis topic. It seems that you are having discordant twins. Meaning that one twin is growing properly while the other is not. There are many reasons for this. Abnormalities of the placenta, cord, abnormal connections between twins and inherent abnormalities in the baby are common causes. The problems are more with mono chorionic twins or twins sharing a common placenta. A TIFFA scan is a routine scan that we do in all women to detect congenital anomalies. If an abnormality is detected, weather it is treatable or not will depend upon the type of abnormality. For example if there are abnormal connections between blood vessels in the placenta so that one twin gets more blood other doesn't. Then those connections can be closed by certain techniques. However all abnormalities may not be remediable. Sometimes one twin is conceived later that the first. So even if they are twins, they are conceived in different months, so this discordancy is expected and does not need treatment. About the risks, if the problem is only growth, then you have no risk because of the discordancy. However the babies may be at risk depending upon the cause of abnormal growth. So as of now, please do not think so much. Eat a healthy diet and take your medicines properly. Get the anomaly scan done and then further management will depend upon it. Hope this satisfies your query. Thanks for using HCM. Feel free to ask any more questions that you may have. Dr Madhuri Bagde Consultant Obstetrician and Gynecologist
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Dr. Madhuri N Bagde

OBGYN

Practicing since :2001

Answered : 1390 Questions

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Suggest Treatment For Discordant Twins

Brief Answer: Detailed answer below. Detailed Answer: Hello and welcome, I am Dr Madhuri a consultant gynecologist and will be helping you in your queries. I am delighted to answer questions related to twins as this was my thesis topic. It seems that you are having discordant twins. Meaning that one twin is growing properly while the other is not. There are many reasons for this. Abnormalities of the placenta, cord, abnormal connections between twins and inherent abnormalities in the baby are common causes. The problems are more with mono chorionic twins or twins sharing a common placenta. A TIFFA scan is a routine scan that we do in all women to detect congenital anomalies. If an abnormality is detected, weather it is treatable or not will depend upon the type of abnormality. For example if there are abnormal connections between blood vessels in the placenta so that one twin gets more blood other doesn't. Then those connections can be closed by certain techniques. However all abnormalities may not be remediable. Sometimes one twin is conceived later that the first. So even if they are twins, they are conceived in different months, so this discordancy is expected and does not need treatment. About the risks, if the problem is only growth, then you have no risk because of the discordancy. However the babies may be at risk depending upon the cause of abnormal growth. So as of now, please do not think so much. Eat a healthy diet and take your medicines properly. Get the anomaly scan done and then further management will depend upon it. Hope this satisfies your query. Thanks for using HCM. Feel free to ask any more questions that you may have. Dr Madhuri Bagde Consultant Obstetrician and Gynecologist