Ultrasound - Missed Twin Stories?

[RainbowDrop_x]

I feel a bit sad that Mamabean has had to defend her thoughts, which relating back to the first post was, is it possible to miss a 2nd baby on a scan. I don't really understand how it got from a mothers curiosity to (what feels to me) like a complete bashing for being irresponsible for not seeking further medical involvement for something that is merely suspicion

To come on to someone's thread and tell them that they are wrong, or misinformed, or misguided many of the other words that have been branded about is a little rude IMO.

I'm sure there aren't many women that would agree with lying to be seen by a health care professional. What's to say that whilst your lies are being looked in to there isn't another woman out there who could have been spared losing a child had she have been seen first?

I find some of the posts extremely condescending and it's totally uncalled for

 

[Platinumvague]

Maybe this should be locked.

 

[skyesmom]

noooooooo i still wanna know if it's one or two in there lol! mamabean, if this thread got out of hand and got too judgmental and offensive, please start another one, i'd really love to know...
...plus your bump pics are lovely

 

[Mamabean1]

noooooooo i still wanna know if it's one or two in there lol! mamabean, if this thread got out of hand and got too judgmental and offensive, please start another one, i'd really love to know...
...plus your bump pics are lovely

Thank you! Was just about to post my 13 week bump pic

As long as its in my control to leave this thread here I will I know there are quite a few curious mamas!

https://i57.tinypic.com/347d2xh.jpg

 

[NDH]

I was also going to ask earlier (but my battery was about tondie so I just hit post) what , if any, is the actual medical benefit of confirming a multiple pregnancy and determining a multiple pregnancy prior to 20 weeks ? In my opinion, I feel like it would only cause unnecessary stress because as far as I am aware simply knowing at that gestation won't improve outcomes at all.

Not opinion, just sneaking back to impart some fact here....you are 1000% wrong about the additional monitoring not improving both fetal and maternal outcomes. Ask any leading authority on multiples, and they'll confirm. I'll be happy to provide links to reputable sources if you're still curious.

Benefits:
- *Prescription* dose folic acid is **needed** to offer developing fetuses the same reduced risk of birth defects as a singleton on regular dose. By 20 weeks any damage to brains and spinal cords is long since done and irreversible. Average amount in a regular prenatal vitamin is 400mcg, average prescribed to a woman having multiples is 2-4mg, or more (conversion is 1000mcg/1mg).

- Additional blood work is needed to rule out other vitamin deficiencies such as the Vitamin D deficiency I mentioned I had. Had I gone all the way to 20 weeks without prescription supplementation to correct my severe deficiency, there is a very real chance both of my boys would have been born with serious and permanent bone/joint deformities - not to mention continued to deplete my own resources and put me at further risk of things like PPD, osteoporosis etc. Vitamin D deficiency is very common, especially for Canadians. The further north you live, the higher the risk (in Alaska for example stats are that as much as 90% of the population is affected). If OP lives somewhere where alternate care is 17 hours away I'd venture to guess she lives way, waaaaaaay up there.

- That same additional blood work (and/or urinalysis) can also detect glucose intolerance and gestational diabetes early on, which is important because the risk of developing it with a multiple pregnancy skyrockets compared to pregnancy with a singleton. Left untreated/undiagnosed often causes preventable miscarriage/stillbirth.

- Same goes for anemia - skyrocketed risk that can definitely cause preventable miscarriage/stillbirth as well as serious maternal risk.

- And preeclampsia.

- Additional early ultrasounds to clarify if multiples are mo/mo, mo/di or di/di save lives. There are babies who were diagnosed before 20 weeks with TTTS who were able to undergo laser therapy that saved their lives. TTTS has a near 100% mortality rate if left untreated.

- Depending on maternal history (and often times just depending on results from the additional monitoring) - progesterone therapy may be necessary in the form of suppositories from day 1 of confirmation or in the form of injections of hydroxyprogesterone starting at 16 weeks. Since risk of preterm labor skyrockets in women pregnant with twins with or without a history of it, it's so important for many to have that additional therapy on board.


Almost to all of the above is completely undetectable by the mother. And not knowing doesn't negate risk.

There are plenty more, but those are the biggie's.



(ETA - I'm not judging your choices mamabean, but I do disagree that just because you had other singleton pregnancies with no problems that you'll be fine either way. Singleton pregnancies are night and day compared to multiple pregnancies. You can neither predict similarities, or avoid complications singlehandedly with good intentions alone. I completely respect that you need to do what you feel comfortable with, but if most mothers of multiples took your approach, fact is, their little ones wouldn't be here today. That doesn't mean if that's what's going on here that yours won't or wouldn't be fine - they certainly could be even with zero monitoring throughout - just speaking in terms of odds because the stats are what they are. All that aside and I can't stress it enough, I wish you and yours well no matter how this turns out for you.)

There is absolutely no need for the condescending tone in your post. I was simply asking a question that, because I have not had the necessity to delve into and research further due to only having had singletons, I did not know the answer to.

Obviously, your experience is far different to even the usual twin pregnancies, and it seems as if it has jaded your view of pregnancy and birth in general. Please understand that for many people, pregnancy and birth is a normal physiological process that should be treated as such until there is reason to suspect otherwise.

 

[NDH]

And fab bump mamabean . Any more luck pinpointing two distinct heartbeats?

 

[Mamabean1]

And fab bump mamabean . Any more luck pinpointing two distinct heartbeats?

Thanks! Not yet... Not like I heard the other night with my MIL. That was the most distinct it's been so far, but have no idea if it was two or an echo. Am anxious for my midwife appointment on Wednesday to see what she says.

 

[Perplexed]

Your bump is beautiful mamabean!

 

[mod19]

I'm still curious too! I've been lurking silently as I don't feel the need to exert myself in some useless online drama, but am still soooo curious! I want your instincts to be right and there to be two in there! We're confirmed at one (was iffy at first though since we used clomid and missed the timeframe to see how many follicles there were). I'm a bit on the heavy side so I don't have a bump yet, but I love seeing yours!

 

[Bordeaux]

lovely bump mine was not far off yours at 13 weeks. Also you look pretty slim like me and so pregnancy can show quicker(congrats on such a figure after 5 childrrn ). I am very excited to know how Wednesday goes x

 

[skyesmom]

amazing bump mamabean!! thanks for the pic!!

 

[kit603]

Lovely bump x

 

[xxmyheartxx]

Lovely bump hun, hopefully your mw appointment on Wednesday might shed some light on how many babies your cooking xxx

 

[CertainTurton]

Gorgeous bump

 

[helloeveryone]

Lovely bump,
i was as big as you at 13 weeks and I only had one baby.
It was my 6th baby.x hope you find out soon how many you have in there.

 

[messica]

There is absolutely no need for the condescending tone in your post. I was simply asking a question that, because I have not had the necessity to delve into and research further due to only having had singletons, I did not know the answer to.

Obviously, your experience is far different to even the usual twin pregnancies, and it seems as if it has jaded your view of pregnancy and birth in general. Please understand that for many people, pregnancy and birth is a normal physiological process that should be treated as such until there is reason to suspect otherwise.

Yikes!

You asked, I answered and that's it! I had no condescending tone in any of my posts, but this is the internet and I do realize things can certainly be misinterpreted. Mamabean liked the post so I'm assuming my intent wasn't lost on her - that's all that matters to me.

My twin pregnancy has actually been far less complicated than my singleton pregnancies - and exponentially less complicated than most twin pregnancies. I've had it easy peasy for sure and I have never once thought of my pregnancy as any kind of ab"normal physiological process." How odd that you'd make that accusatory leap based on anything I've said!

I'm not jaded in the least rest assured lol What I am is grateful to be where I am today and I'm always happy to discuss the ins and outs of the journey with other (even just prospective) twin moms. That's how I learned, that's how those before me learned, and it is a camaraderie that forms amongst multiple mom's in the name of love and concern, that's all. If you have a problem with my posting style please feel free to block me, or at the very least please cease your personal attacks - they're simply not necessary.


Glad to hear you're getting in to see your mw again mamabean - I'll be eager to hear what she says about how you're progressing either way!

 

[tdog]

What a lovely bump their mamabean1 I'm sorry to be reading through all these rude and unnecessary comments made on this thread, it seems it has gone onto a internet drama over asking one simple question, but I'm so waiting patiently for the outcome of weather it's 2 or 1 either way you have a gorgeous bump xx

 

[LucyLake]

...and she's had an ultrasound that showed one baby in there for sure, plus some shadow she wasn't sure about, and her midwife didn't find it necessary to scan further. the reason she's suspecting twins is because she's measuring ahead and is curious about it (in her 6th pregnancy, btw).

so it's a very different situation from yours Lucylake. You had a scan where mo-dis were clear since very early on (and if i remember right, you thought they were momos actually until around 20-23 weeks, so THAT WAS an emergency situation); but that's not the case here. and you can't generalize your experience to everyone.

i am sorry to hear you had all those complications, i almost lost a friend to HELLP with a singleton pregnancy, but it was obvious very early on she was having a rough one there, so she searched for help.

my point was not to say we should all act like in Ethiopia or wherever but... mamabean IS getting prenatal care, being checked out on and at the level SHE is comfortable with.

i find it more dangerous to drive for 16-17 hours somewhere while pregnant at 12 weeks to get a scan and discover it is most probably a singleton (as her first scan indicates), rather than waiting it out until october 15th to get checked by HER midwife again and. and even if it were to be twins - nothing can be done for them at 12 weeks - so any kind of rushing to a hospital now, especially in her living condition, really wouldn't make sense.

and why i felt people needed a reminder of what the world really is like is this: there is a certain exaggeration in medical management today. if you'd spent one day working in medical or pharma industry, you'd know very well that the primary thing for hospitals and pharma especially, is how much money they can make out of each patient. just look at the increase in the C-section rate in the US over the past 30 years (for singleton pregnancies). i really doubt that american women suddenly unlearned how to birth.

so i don't say that medical care is unnecessary - but it should stay within reasonable limits. and mamabean's situation here is VERY different from yours.

your original post listing statistics from your facebook group sounded really like you were accusing the mamabean for being careless, uneducated, irresponsible and not doing enough for her babies - and that personally set me off.

because it is more than clear that she does. she is getting her care. she is also in a situation where she CAN NOT get more. and driving 16-17 hours while pregnant is ALSO quite risky, especially while having other 5 kids at home. so i really feel that mamabean, as a mother, is doing the right decision here with trusting her midwife and her own body and instincts FOR NOW.

if the situation changes, she might take different decisions. but a post like yours - to someone who's US looks like a singleton more than anything and who at the time was only TEN WEEKS pregnant and in such remote location was slightly judgmental and unnecessary.

Agreed with most of your post. Thank you for your sweet thoughts about HELLP. Yes, we thought they were momo until week 12.

I think she's pregnant with a singleton. Obviously, you don't want to come right out and say it because she has her heart set on twins from my vantage point. I'm very blessed so I understand that sentiment. But, the scan suggests a singleton. The "second sac" is too small to be viable and likely a shadow. I don't see another yolk sac nor do I see two heartbeats suggesting identicals. Her original post indicated that "these would be identical twins in the same sac." So, I gave her the benefit of the doubt that this "might" be a dangerous momo gestation and offered input based on that.

So I wasn't calling the OP uneducated, I was simply hoping to speak to the risks of identical twinning that few in our world have to be aware of unless they've lived it. This is on the off-chance that another mom planning to go the midwife route with no scans all through a high risk ID pregnancy sees this and doesn't risk it.

 

[CathiiNoo]

I had a dream last night that you came onto your thread and said there were two babies. I had to even rush onto your journel to see if it was really a dream or I was reading your thread half asleep last night.

I'm sorry about all the unnecessary comments mamabean1, you know what's best for you and you have taken the correct route. It was just a question of there MAYBE being twins. You know there's at least one healthy baby in there, it was just curiousity but I really hope there are two little babas. Can't wait for your next scan xxx

 

[xxshellsxx]

I've been reading along this thread and kept quiet until now - now that your bashing the twin mums who are trying to offer vital advice to a women who is convinced she is having twins!

Can i just point out that mamabean1 has started 5 threads...this one... and the other 4 of which are in the twin and multiples boards asking advice on heartbeats, two heart beats and or echos, fundal heights and the initial missed twin story and posted bump pics in the twin bump thread asking if we think it's twins! (of which we have no idea either!)

https://babyandbump.momtastic.com/twins-triplets-multiples/2241527-echo-2-hbs.html

https://babyandbump.momtastic.com/t...23-could-you-hear-2-distinct-hbs-doppler.html

https://babyandbump.momtastic.com/t...2227517-point-could-you-feel-your-uterus.html

https://babyandbump.momtastic.com/t...-can-someone-give-me-some-insight-please.html

https://babyandbump.momtastic.com/twins-triplets-multiples/139181-twin-bumps-314.html

so before you start bashing people for offering advice check out what is being asked elsewhere on the boards and understand the frustration the twin mums are feeling when there is the possibility she is carrying twins and could be doing more for herself 'just in case' until she finds out for sure!