Parent's Stories Correen Jackson - Hayes, Middlesex Middlesex, England. Tel: 020 8581 7359 Two years ago I was thrilled when I found out that I was pregnant for the third time. I was already Mum to Samantha aged 4 years and Christopher aged 15 months at the time. At 8 weeks into my pregnancy my GP was amazed to hear such a clear heartbeat, and booked me for my routine scan at 18 weeks. By the time the scan was due I had convinced myself I had my dates confused as I felt so big. My scan went well and I was asked to return a fortnight later to have a more detailed scan. As the scan progressed the radiographer kept nodding. I had my other children there and my daughter wanted a scan picture to take to school but when we asked for one the radiographer asked which baby we wanted a picture of. Totally shocked my husband and I just looked at each other, and the radiographer said she thought we knew I was having twins but by the look on my face we hadn't known. The feeling of panic came over me and I had to get out of that tiny room but she wanted to continue with the scan. I just had to escape so I went outside while my husband Steve made me an appointment for the following week. I had a whole week to get used to the idea of having two babies and looking forward to another trouble free pregnancy. But at my next scan all that seemed to change. I will always remember the nurse looking blankly at the screen and the silence until she told me she wanted me to have a chat with the consultant. The hour wait seemed like eternity, to be told they thought one baby was a lot bigger than the other and this could be a slight problem. They wanted me to be examined at a Fetal Medicine Clinic in London the following day - by now I knew this was not normal. They handed me a referral letter to take with me and I could not help opening it as I wanted to know what they thought was wrong with our babies. When I read 'possible twin to twin' it should not have meant anything to me but I had a friend who had twins affected by this condition and I knew it was an extremely serious problem, tomorrow would not come quickly enough. We arrived at Queen Charlotte's in the morning and had to wait to see Professor Nicholas Fisk, which was not until late afternoon. He took one look at the scanner and said he wanted to admit me straight away. he took us to his office and explained what I had and what he could try to do to help my babies have a chance, but being told they have a 10% survival rate we felt there was no hope. Steve said he felt his hear was in his throat and I tried to block it out and think of my other children. I was offered to have my pregnancy terminated. I asked if there was any medical risk to me if I continued with the pregnancy and was told "only mentally". We made the decision that these babies should be given a chance. The next day I was taken down to be given an amnio drainage and after an hour of scanning they were ready to begin. I was scared of the unknown and what was happening to me. They inserted the hollow catheter through my tummy and into my womb into a pool of fluid around the bigger twin. They began draining 10ml at a time, it was extremely uncomfortable and having contractions at the same time did not help. It seemed to take forever, they managed to drain just over two litres of fluid and my tummy seemed to reduce dramatically. Before the drainage I had been the size of a full term singleton pregnancy, it gave such a release of pressure and the contractions had stopped. They kept me in as they expected to do another drainage within a week. When they scanned me the next day they could see more fluid around the smaller twin but were worried that the septum separating the babies had ruptured and the babies were now in one sac. Luckily this had not happened at this time but it did happen a few weeks later and they felt it had evened out the pressure in the womb. Feeling like a time bomb waiting to go off I was informed the best chance would be a cesarean delivery, I felt quite alarmed as I had had two normal deliveries. two weeks after the drainage I had a letter arrive at home to tell me that the carotype of my boys was normal. I did not know what they were talking about so I rang the hospital to be told they tested the fluid for down's syndrome and my babies, boys as I now knew they were clear. The thought of downs never crossed mine or Steve's mind, but it was still a relief. After being scanned two to three times a week it was great to pass 28 weeks, now my babies had a better chance of surviving. Thirty weeks came and went and by 32 weeks I felt my babies were in trouble. They stopped moving and I was enormous, it was time to be admitted for delivery. I went in on the Saturday after Christopher's birthday and was given steroid injections to develop the babies lungs. I was longing for the morning scan so I could see that I had not lost my babies. The scan showed the heart rates had changed and they were concerned but wanted to wait a little longer before doing anything. Monday morning and five scans later the twin's heart rates have picked up and they have started moving again. The consultant said they hibernated for the weekend but did not know why. I am so relieved they are still alive after coming this far. The Prof. has booked me to have some fluid taken off at 34 weeks if I can hold on till then, as he wants to run a test to see how mature their lungs are. Monday, and this time the drainage is so much more painful as my tummy cannot expand anymore - it is not a pleasant experience and they have to lay me on my side as I nearly pass out. 24 hours for the result to come from the lab. My babies' lungs are developed enough for them to be born - without, we hope, too many complications. November 30th 1994, I am nearly 35 weeks pregnant and am having a planned cesarean. I walked into the operating theatre to find more than 20 people all wanting to see the delivery, it was very overwhelming and frightening seeing two resuscitation incubators with all the equipment for two babies. My consultant was ready to begin once my epidural had taken effect and everybody seemed very tense including me and Steve. baby number one was whisked past to be checked over, and one minute later there was number two. Minutes before I saw them felt like hours, the smallest first born we called Harry - he looked so small at 4lb 13oz and very pale. Danny followed at 5lb 6oz and looked like he had been on holiday with a very red complexion. they were here and they seemed fine - it was unbelievable. they were put in the nursery overnight as they couldn't hold the warmth they needed very well. I was taken back to my room with my husband and it took a long time to accept that I had two healthy babies and they were all mine. One doctor said to me as I left hospital a week later "We don't know what you can expect in the next five years as we don't know because you are so lucky they survived." My older two children absolutely adore the boys and they know they are kind of special. Correen

Sam, Chris,  Danny, & Harry