How common is acute TTTS?
Three publications defined the incidence for acute perinatal TTTS of 1.8-5.5% of monochorionic twins. Common factors associated with acute perinatal TTTS included monochorionicity and labor.
What is the survival rate of twin to twin transfusion?
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. Once TTTS babies are born, blood supply sharing is no longer a factor.
Is TTTS fatal?
There is no known cause of TTTS. Without treatment, this condition can be fatal for one or both twins. Fetal surgery is sometimes needed to treat the condition. The prognosis is better when TTTS develops after 20 weeks’ gestation.
How is Stage 2 twin to twin transfusion diagnosed?
A doctor may suspect twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome based on the results of a routine prenatal ultrasound. A maternal-fetal medicine specialist can confirm the diagnosis by conducting more detailed testing to measure amniotic fluid volume, bladder filling and blood flow in the recipient and donor twins.
What is a TTTS baby?
Twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) is a rare pregnancy condition affecting identical twins or other multiples. TTTS occurs in pregnancies where twins share one placenta (afterbirth) and a network of blood vessels that supply oxygen and nutrients essential for development in the womb.
Does TTTS always progress?
Most cases of TTTS present in the early second trimester and are staged according to the system shown in the table (table 1), formerly called the Quintero classification system. The stage may remain stable, regress, or progress over time, and progression can occur rapidly.
What is the most serious case of TTTS?
Chronic TTTS describes those cases that appear early in pregnancy (12-26 weeks’ gestation). These cases are the most serious because the babies are immature and cannot be delivered. In addition, the twins will have a longer time during their development in the womb to be affected by the TTTS abnormalities.
What is TTTS and how does it affect twins?
What is TTTS? Twin to twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) is a disease of the placenta (or afterbirth) that affects identical twin pregnancies. TTTS affects identical twins (or higher multiple gestations), who share a common monochorionic placenta.
Can TTTS occur at any time during pregnancy?
TTTS can occur at any time during pregnancy, even while a mother is in labor at term. The placental abnormalities determine when and to what degree a transfusion occurs between the twins. Chronic TTTS describes those cases that appear early in pregnancy (12-26 weeks’ gestation).