Daniel and Dominic's Story

Three months ago I lost both of my sons to TTTS. This was a very horrible experience and I just hope that this can be prevented in the future. I would not wish this to happen to anyone.

I was 19 weeks pregnant with twin boys, this was my second pregnancy and unfortunately it was also my second loss. I started getting a really itchy stomach and two days later I began to have uncomfortable pains around my womb, which I thought was normal because with two babies the womb has to expand more. But the next morning I had blood, just a little, but as with all women, I panicked. I stayed off work and went to the doctor. He gently told me I had nothing to worry about and he sent me back home. The following day I bled some more so I went back in to my doctor (Saturday). He said he would arrange an ultrasound to check that everything was ok. He called me on Monday to say I could go in on Tuesday, which I did. The nurse did a very quick scan checking that both hearts were beating. They were, so again, I was sent home. Then the following week I went in for my 20 week scan to be told that one of my babies had an enlarged heart and she was concerned. She then took measurements and said she would need to ask me to come back the next day and see the doctor. This had me worried but there was nothing I could do.

The following day I went to see the doctor at my local hospital. She scanned me again and told me my babies were suffering from TTTS. She referred me to Dr. Sturgis at RVI in Newcastle, England. He saw me that same day (Wednesday) and told me if we didn't do anything soon we would lose both babies. He said there was some laser surgery he could try. There was a 1 in 3 chance of 1 baby surviving, 1 in 3 both would and a 1 in 3 we would lose both.

The next day I had surgery, this was an attempt to split the placenta's blood flow between the two babies to stop them feeding from each other. I got to watch the camera in my womb. One of the babies was very active. He thought the camera and laser were toys. I got to see his little hands and feet pass the camera. It was cool. We only got a third of the placenta split when the baby pushed the laser at a bad time and blood started to flow into my uterus. The doctor could not see clearly enough to continue so we stopped. That evening I stayed in the hospital as a precaution.

The next morning he scanned me to find that one heart had stopped beating. I was mortified and was told there was nothing we could do but wait to see if the other would survive. They sent me home that day (Friday) and asked me to come back on Monday morning. I did, only to be told that the other heart had stopped. Then I was then told I would have to give birth to them both before labor kicked in. I was given a tablet and was told to come in on Wednesday, one week after finding out about the TTTS. On Wednesday I was put in a small suite within the delivery area. That evening, at 11:35, I gave birth to Daniel and not even 5 minutes later to my second son Dominic.

Although they did not get to see their parents I know they will always know they had some one who loved them so much. I hope that wherever they are they are together and we will see them again in heaven.

Emma and Dave

All our love is sent to Daniel and Dominic who were born on the 17th March 2004.