Growth difference

Hi everyone!

I am 20 weeks 4 days..This has been such a stressful pregnancy! I am pregnant with fraternal twin boys. Both have separate sacs and placenta. Baby A is growing exactly how he should be but Baby B is about 9 days behind his brother in growth. They said he has low blood flow to the placenta. It is absent.The doctors said there is a 35% difference. Baby B is very active and has a good heart beat, and has good fluid. I HATE going to these doctors. I am so high risk my OBGYN sent me only to high risk and they scare me every time I go and make me so stressed and cry. Last time I was there they told me that coming 24 weeks I may have to make a decision if I want to deliver to save both babies but if I do it will risk Baby A and I could lose them both so right then and there I said no! I demand to go as long as I can. They also stated if I do lose Baby B along the way I would have to carry him deceased until his brother is born. This whole situation is just terrible. Anyone have any positive feedback? They said they don't have a crystal ball so they don't know what is going to happen.

 

((hugs)), I don't have any experience with growth differences in twins. I am sorry the high risk doctor scares you and causes you to cry.

 

I can honestly relate to how you are feeling. I was told at my 20 wk US that Baby B was smaller (by 20%) but that it was fairly normal and they weren't concerned. Like you both placentas & umbilical cords had great blood flow, there was good fluid surrounding both and all organs were present and functioning. Overall everything was fine. 3 weeks later at a repeat growth scan they told me the size gap was closing (now 17%) but they wanted to follow them closely. I was given the diagnosis of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and was referred to a group at the local children's hospital that specializes in IUGR with twins. They laughed at the maternal fetal medicine Dr's concerns and said that the size difference was very small and nothing to be overly concerned with. Yet another 3 weeks later (now 26 weeks 5 days) at another growth scan, the same MFM doc came in and brought her grey cloud of doom with her (she too referenced a crystal ball...LOL maybe we're seeing the same doc). She told me that Baby B was now 23% smaller than Baby A and she is highly concerned. Baby A is measuring 2 pounds 4 ounces and Baby B is 1 pound 12 ounces. She wants to start non-stress testing twice a week and if there is ANY sign of distress from either baby they want to deliver them ASAP! YIKES!!! At 27 weeks!?!?! She wants me to stop working (I'm a RN at a large, busy academic hospital) or at least cut back my hours to promote better uterine blood flow and improve the chances of growth. Easier said than done.....bills, health insurance, etc. But the babies are my priority. So arrangements have been made. But I've been talking to many other women who have have similar situations. One was a singleton pregnancy who was induced at 35 weeks due to IUGR and the baby turned out to be almost 2 pounds larger than they thought he was! US measurement error. Another was a twin pregnancy who made it to 34 weeks with a full 2 pound weight difference and both babies were (and still are) perfect. Another twin pregnancy with 1 IUGR had a 2 week growth discrepancy during pregnancy and delivered at 34 weeks with just more than a pound difference at birth. They are now beautiful 12 year old young ladies! According to the growth cart I found on the twinstuff site, the weights of my two are really not far off. All of this and I still cry over it with worry.

So what I'm getting at is that you are not alone. I can't provide 1st hand positive feedback but I can provide to you what has been provided to me. Reassurance that you are doing nothing wrong. Just keep taking good care of yourself. Continue with your follow-up care. Love those babies!! Keep your head up and keep us posted on your progress. Sending you my thoughts and hugs!