Identical or not?

[ClareB83]

Hi,

So we had an early scan at 9 weeks and were told we were having DiDi twins.

Since then sonographers have struggled a bit to find the membrane between them and tend to think there's one placenta at first glance.

At the 20 week scan today, they think there is either one placenta or the two have fused. They think the bleed I had in early pregnancy may have made it hard to tell what was going on. They also think the membrane is very thin which makes it more likely it's identical twins.

We're back in two weeks for another look.

Other than this meaning more scans, probably an earlier birth and higher risk of TTS - I wondered if this made any other difference?

I totally had in my head we were expecting fraternal twins but now it might be identical I have to think again.

Oh and it's two boys!

Any advice or experience gratefully received.

Dcda twins can be identical too, 33% of the time. It depends how early on the egg split.

I had dcda twins (two placentas seen at 13 week scan) but at the birth it had merged into one big placenta. There was also a very thin membrancle between mine but mine are very much fraternal twins.

I know over 10 sets of dcda identical twins (confirmed with zygosity testing).

Being fraternal or identical wont make much difference to potential problems. I know many women who carried identical twins to a big healthy 37 weeks.

Congratulation, my girls are now 5.

Yes you're quite right I knew DCDA could be identical but a lot less likely.

Interesting your placentas fused too. At 9 weeks the sonographer was sure it was DCDA but it looks like the photos she took aren't clear enough to satisfy our consultant now.

At my 12 week scan we were told twins were non identical. 14 week scan we were changed to identical and that stance was maintained even after they were born, even though I insisted they weren't.

The only thing that resolved it once and for all was a DNA test (and that they looked so different!). I believe their placentas fused together, although I was told it was just one after having them and it being examined....obviously they were wrong!

Congratulations on your dt pregnancy. Your 9 week scan was probably more accurate and they are DCDA (two placentas and two sacs) because it would have been easier to see earlier in the scan. From about 12 weeks, the placentas can merge and the dividing membrane starts to thin out and become more flimsy looking on scans. If the placentas are near one another, as they grow and stretch, they can merge to look like one placenta. If your dts share one placenta (unless they merged) and/or sac, they are identical. As neversleepagain said: there is still a 33% chance of DCDA twins being identical but they would need to have the same blood type and only a DNA test can confirm the probability after they are born. A friend of a friend was told she was having ID boys until they were born and looked total opposites. If you want to get a test done after they are born, members of TAMBA get a discount on DNA testing.

Just to update you we had a rescan today on a new fancy machine and the membrane looked very clearly like a T join, so we are being treated like MCDA twins now.

Pictures were very clear which was nice and we get to see them every two weeks now. We won't find out any more about the hospitals recommendations on birth until the twin clinic in four weeks.