Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS) is a prenatal condition in which twins share unequal amounts of the placenta's blood supply resulting in the two fetuses growing at different rates. 70% of identical twins share a placenta, and 15-20% of these pregnancies are affected by TTTS.
Twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) is a rare, serious condition that can occur in pregnancies. This happens when identical twins share a placenta (monochorionic). Abnormal blood vessel connections form in the placenta. They allow blood to flow unevenly between the fetuses.
The majority of TTTS twins who have appropriate treatment during pregnancy will survive and the majority of survivors will be normal and healthy. If untreated, the survival rate for TTTS twins is approximately 10 to 15 percent.
Twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome typically develops between weeks 16 and 26 of a woman's pregnancy. But an ultrasound as early as 10 to 14 weeks can put doctors on alert that there is a twin gestation, and if they are sharing a placenta. TTTS is diagnosed by measuring levels of amniotic fluid.
When a twin dies, the twinless twin longs to reconnect. The twinless twin may have phantom pain or feel half dead. He or she may feel a need to represent both him or herself and the deceased twin or may even take on behaviors of the deceased twin.
In 99.9% of cases boy/girl twins are non-identical. However, in some extremely rare cases resulting from a genetic mutation, identical twins from an egg and sperm which began as male (XY) can develop into a male / female pair.
Longer lives
When analyzing the data by gender, the researchers found that female identical twins lived, on average, about 63.4 years, whereas female fraternal twins lived about 61.4 years and the general Danish female population lived about 58.8 years, Sharrow said.
All babies affected by TTTS, including TAPS, SIUGR and TRAP are called Daisy Babies. We dream of acres of daisies one day to honor and love all of our babies and have a sacred place to go. It is never about the storm. It is about the day after. That is what we are fighting for.
TTTS is caused by abnormal connections between twins that form when the placenta first develops. This is a purely mechanical and random event that can't be avoided. “The mother can do absolutely nothing to prevent it,” says Dr. Norman Davies, maternal fetal medicine consultant at Mayo Clinic.
This is why fraternal twins run in families. However, only women ovulate. So, the mother's genes control this and the fathers don't. This is why having a background of twins in the family matters only if it is on the mother's side.
For a given pregnancy, the odds of conceiving fraternal twins are only determined by the mother's genetics, not the father's.
Fraternal twins result when two different eggs are fertilized, each by a different sperm cell. This can happen when a woman produces several eggs (most often two) at the same time. This is called hyperovulation. Fraternal twins don't share the same DNA.
In a di/di pregnancy (more scientifically referred to as a dichorionic diamniotic pregnancy) the twins each have their own chorionic and amniotic sacs. Essentially, each of the babies is growing like they would as a singleton, but just a little more cramped, because they're sharing the same womb.
Years ago, when two children were born within 12 months of each other, people often referred to them as "Irish twins." And when three children were born to the same mother within three years, they were called "Irish triplets." But today these phrases are considered outdated and are less frequently used, particularly ...
Twin reversed arterial perfusion (TRAP sequence) is a rare condition of monochorionic twin pregnancies. It arises when the cardiac system of one twin does the work of supplying blood for both twins. The twin supplying the blood is known as the "pump twin" and develops normally in the womb.
For women born 1870-1899, moms of twins averaged reproductive spans of 14 years 11 months versus 14 years for singleton moms. Both results were statistically significant. Moms of twins also were older at the time of their last birth.
Twins not only have a bestie from birth — they also live longer than singletons. And those two factors may be related, according to new University of Washington research.
Fraternal twins tend to live longer than singletons. But identical twins generally outlive fraternal ones.
Is there a third type? Traditionally, the science around twins has taught that identical and fraternal are the only two types. But a third type might exist, called polar body or half-identical twins.
But any forensics expert will tell you that there is at least one surefire way to tell them apart: identical twins do not have matching fingerprints. Like physical appearance and personality, fingerprints are largely shaped by a persons DNA and by a variety of environmental forces.
According to The American Society for Reproductive Medicine, women who are fraternal twins have a 1 in 60 chance of having twins, and men who are fraternal twins have a 1 in 125 chance of fathering twins. It was previously believed that identical (monozygotic) twins were random — not genetic.
A twinless twin, or lone twin, is a person whose twin has died.
The strongest risk factor for suicide is mental illness and studies show that mental illness is slightly more common among twins.