Lisa and her husband Darren had been looking forward for years to becoming parents. Finally after years of trying they got the good news that Lisa was pregnant. After waiting a few weeks they got an ultrasound that confirmed that Lisa was pregnant with twins! A few weeks later the parents found out that their twins were rare MOMO twins, or monochorionic monoamniotic twins. MOMO twins typically occur only in 1% of all twin pregnancies.
MOMO twins are not only rare, but they can also face complications that other twins do not face in the womb. MOMO twins share the same amniotic sac, the same placenta, but have separate umbilical cords. Having separate umbilical cords can lead to complications such as cord entanglement or cord compression. Both could lead to fetal death.
When Lisa was five months pregnant she was admitted to the hospital to be monitored for the rest of her pregnancy due to the twins being MOMO. The medical staff wanted to be near to keep a close eye on her and the high risk twins.
At 32 weeks into the pregnancy, doctors performed a C-section on Lisa to deliver twin girls that the parents named River and Piper. The first six weeks of their life was spent in the hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit where they could stabilize and grow stronger.
The girls were allowed home after 14 weeks in the hospital. They are now healthy toddlers and thriving, according to their parents.