Vanishing twin experiences

[Katie1109]

Good afternoon x
I was wondering whether anyone had experience with vanishing twin here?
I had an early scan when I should have been 8 weeks. I’m certain on my dates (opks, temp, very regular cycles). There was 2 embryos, one measured only 6 weeks but had a heartbeat and sonographer did not seem to be concerned about it and the other one was smaller and further behind with no heartbeat, much smaller and irregular shaped sac. I was told to prepare myself that the smaller one is highly unlikely to make it and will get reabsorbed.
I was wondering what we’re your experiences with that? What we’re your symptoms? Any bleeding? I had couple of days of brown and pink discharge before that scan and still experiencing very mild period like sensation down there.
I have another scan this coming weekend when I should be 10 weeks, so I’m hoping I’ll still have at least one of my babies there x

Just bumping x really hoping to find mums who have or are going through something like that x

I had (IVF) twin pregnancy. Both equally sized at 8 week scan with strong heartbeats. 2 weeks later there was only one. No symptoms at all, totally unprepared and devastating.
The surviving embryo is now a teen though.
🤞 I hope all looks reassuring when you have your next scan.

@LadyFeliciaMontague thank you for sharing and so sorry for your loss x I know there is nothing I can do, so just impatiently waiting for my scan to get answers x

I had a scan at 12 weeks and my consultant said to me " ooh looks like you had two babies but now only one" and that was that!

I wish I'd questioned her but I was shocked!

Anyway, I had no symptoms other than normal pregnancy ones.

That probably doesn't help much sorry

@Livedandlearned oh wow! That must have been a shock! x

I had IVF and had 2 embryos transferred, had a scan at 6 weeks due to some bleeding and was told I was expecting triplets! 3 separate sacs and 3 heartbeats. However a further scan at 8 weeks showed only one heartbeat and the other two fetuses measuring small with no heartbeat. I had one day of period like cramps, and the bleeding continued on and off until about 10 weeks, it was never very heavy though. I had some further scans at EPU where you could still see the two tiny fetuses, then at my 12 week scan you could still see the two sacs but they were empty, and by the 20 week scan they had gone completely.

It's worth being aware that this can affect your screening options, if there is a foetal pole still visible at the 12 week scan then you can't have the combined screening as the blood results would be skewed. You also can't have the harmony test if you have had 'foetal demise' during the pregnancy as there can be traces of DNA in your blood from the vanished twin which might give you a false result if it picks up chromosomal abnormalities from that baby. I found not all of the healthcare professionals (including the screening midwife!) were clued up on this scenario. We ended up paying for a private detailed scan at 14 weeks to check for markers of abnormalities for peace of mind.

It's a strange thing to get your head around, I felt like I was having a miscarriage and a pregnancy at the same time. I was so anxious in the early days that i would lose the remaining baby, and through the whole pregnancy it played on my mind that there must have been something wrong with those two fetuses to miscarry them (and one of them would have been her identical twin) so maybe there would be something wrong with my baby too. However that little embryo is now a gorgeous healthy 6 week old and the rest of my pregnancy was very straightforward after the dramas of those early weeks. I hope you get good news at your next scan xx

Hi, I'm so sorry you're going through this. I've had something similar. I had a scan at 13 weeks and the consultant said, he was sorry but it appeared that the embryo had stopped growing a few weeks before and had no heartbeat. I'd had a scan at 6 weeks and all was okay then, that scan was because of spotting. While the midwife was sorting leaflets about miscarriage and our options the consultant kept scanning, then he said 'wait, I've found something'-that something was my DS2 (who is now 12). He was hidden away and quite a distance from the first embryo so hadn't been seen at the 6 week scan. We lost the first embryo but gained DS2 in the same scan session.

Symptom wise a couple of weeks before the 13 week scan I told my DH that I didn't feel as pregnant anymore, but I'd stopped spotting by then so wasn't concerned, other than that there was no indication of the loss of the twin. The first embryo was absorbed during the pregnancy, I had lots of 3rd trimester growth scans and excessive amniotic fluid but no other issues and DS2 was (and is) fine.

I had 2 with heartbeats at 6 week scan, had some small brown and pink discharge and slight cramping about week 8/9, scanned in 9th week and one had no heartbeat. The other one is 10 years old this year. I was upset about it at the time as we’d been trying and treatment etc for 2 years or so and wanted both of them.

People say it’s very common and usually you don’t find out as you don’t have a scan til 12 weeks. I wouldn’t have had if I’d not been having infertility treatment etc.

Wow thank you very much for your stories ladies x and I’m sorry for your losses x
@sunshineandsea I have not been bleeding at all x just some brown discharge before my first scan x and thank you for the testing advice, I did wonder about that x
@chrisrobin I’m glad your little hidden gem is all good, what a wonderful story, but I’m sure it was a bit scary for a moment! x
@flamegame did it cause you issues with chromosomal abnormalities testing at all? x

we didn’t have any chromosome testing - I have a minor abnormality myself so decided not to.

@flamegame fair play, thank you for sharing x

good luck, I've got my fingers crossed for you @Katie1109

I had an early scan (6 weeks) which showed one healthy baby and one sac a lot further behind. I had no symptoms of the vanishing twin, I would never have known had I not had the early scan. By my 12 weeks scan there was no evidence of it at all.

@flamegame thank you x
@TheGlaikitRambler thank you for sharing x I think this might be the case with me x As you can see on the scan photo the second sac looks weirdly shaped and much smaller than the other x

I had an early scan at 9 weeks for minor twinges. 2 sacs and 2 babies both measuring 9+2 with heartbeats. Went for my 12 week scan and only twin 1 (DS) with a heartbeat and twin 2 no heartbeat measuring 9+3. They gave me a reassurance scan at 16 weeks, twin 2 still visable but "gone" by 20 week scan. I had light pink spotting around 10 weeks which I considered normal and went on to have a normal low risk pregnancy. It was upsetting at the time having to adjust from 1 baby then 2 then back to 1 again but it wasnt meant to be and much more common than I first realised. My DS is now a beautiful 13 month old.

I had twin IVF babies and only one survived. He's now an adult.

early absorption with spotting around 10 weeks if I recall. So no major outward signs as the healthy baby maintains the womb lining.

Just told at a slightly later scan.

@addictedtotheflats oh wow that must have been difficult seeing both heartbeats and then only one x so sorry for your loss x did this situation affect your chromosomal testing? How did they go about it considering second twin was still visible at 16 weeks? x
@planningaheadtoday thank you for sharing x I had some brown spotting but that was before my scan so not sure if that’s related, nothing since x glad your other one is well x

Thank you everyone who shared their experiences so far x I really appreciate the help x I’ve got my scan this Saturday, but unfortunately I’ve got a bad feeling and cannot shake it at all x I know we’ve seen one heartbeat but I just feel something is not right 😭

@Katie1109 Nothing different with chromosome testing. It was literally like (sorry to put it bluntly) going from a high risk to low risk pregnancy with the flick of a switch. No one seemed concerned for my healthy baby and everything just carried on as if the other baby was never there. Apparently its very common, and especially with fraternal twins women go on to have a healthy pregnancy. Hope your scan goes ok

@addictedtotheflats thank you very much x scan tomorrow morning, let’s see what’s going on 🤞

@Katie1109 Hi Katie, I just stumbled across this thread you started in early June and wondered how your story ended? I hope well. I ask because I'm currently going through something similar. I'm 5.5 weeks pregnant through IVF and had some brown spotting this morning, so went into my clinic for a scan, at which point I found out I was expecting twins. However, one sac was significantly smaller than the other and it didn't have a yolk sac, whereas the other one did. The larger one didn't have a heartbeat but they said it was probably too early. I had a HCG blood test afterwards and they said my levels aren't really indicative of a twin pregnancy and they fear the smaller one is not viable and being reabsorbed by the body. I can't go back for another scan until Friday, and just feeling very stressed. It would be interesting to hear your experience / how it ended. Thank you.

Hi @Everhopeful35 ive stumbled across this thread on the internet and I am in a similar position to you. Ive had a scan with two sacs showing. One is empty and the other is showing a small embryo measuring only 6weeks. They cant find a heartbeat for the larger twin but im hoping its just too early. I have another scan booked for the 27th july. I know I should concentrate on the baby that will hopefully be ok but I cant help but wonder if theres any chance for the second one. How did your second scan go? I cant stand the not knowing. I am praying everything will be ok but it doesn't seem likely at the moment 😕

At 5 weeks I had a small bleed, went EPU for scan. 3 sacs, 2 yolks, 0 heartbeats.
At 7 weeks, 2 heartbeat. Second measuring at least a week behind.

At 9 weeks, everything looked great. 1 still slightly smaller.
Lost all my symptoms at around 11 weeks.
Scan at 13 weeks, only 1 baby. Twin B had stopped growing at around 10 weeks.

No bleeding, nothing. Just my “usual” pregnancy symptoms had vanished.

My son is now 5 🙂 he was born at 36+4 weeks, but had no other issues

@Queenbee95

Can I ask whether it was the baby or the sac measuring smaller? I'm 8 weeks with twins - both measuring as they should and both very strong heartbeats (157 at 7+4) but one twins sac is much smaller - half the size of the other?