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Russian School
About
Baby A and Baby B expected in early June 2004 What is MOMO Twins? The fetuses are in the same sac with no separation between them. That means that they float freely around each other, twist their cords and risk suffocating each other. This is a rare situation (1% of all pregnancies are twins and 1-2% of all twins are in the same sac like this) and high-risk. This condition is called monochorionic (one placenta) and monoamniotic (one sac). Needless to say that this is just 1 step before siamese or conjoined twins. It's common to have only one placenta with each baby in his own sac inside of the placenta. That's called monochorionic and diamniotic. In our case it's only one sac. This condition is also called MoMo twins, for short. How does it happen? 1. Singleton Pregnancy. When the egg and sperm meet, an embryo is formed, and it later on develops into one baby. 2. Fraternal Twins. Sometimes there are two eggs that meet two sperm, and 2 embryos are formed. These are called fraternal twins . 3. Identical Twins. Sometimes, the embryo decides to split. Nobody knows why that happens. When the split occurs, it's called monozygotic (one egg) and identical, since the twins share the exact same genetic code. If it happens within a day or two after conception, then it splits co mpletely and forms 2 placentas and 2 sacs, which will later develop into twins. This is called dichorionic and diamn iotic . If this splitting occurs a little bit later on, within 3-5 days, the placenta around the embryo has already started to form. At that point, the 2 halves of the embryo are stuck inside of the same placenta, but they still develop their own inner sacs around them, or a membrane between them. This is very common for identical twins and it's called monochorionic diamniotic . If the embryo decides to split 5-8 days after conception, then there is no membrane separating the fetuses, and that's when a monochorionic monoamniotic twin pregnancy occurs, in 1-2% of all twin pregnancies. After this, there is just one more possibility. If the embryo decides to split more than 10 days after conception, then it doesn't separate all the way and the result is conjoined or siamese twins. What is our plan of action? First we have to determine for sure that there are no obvious deformities and that the twins are not conjoined. We will have several ultrasounds and all kinds of other tests in the next few weeks. We will keep an eye out for the elusive membrane - it still may be there, just hard to see. Then we have to wait patiently until week 24 and hope that the babies survive at least that long. Until then there is nothing we can do - we can't restrict their movement. Once they reach 24 weeks, they may survive outside the womb. At that point I will be monitored regularly at the hospital for any signs of distress. They will be looking for a drop in heartbeat in