IVF pregnancy. DCDA Identical twins

[tvdinners43]

Hi ladies

Posting for a bit of a handhold if nothing else!
Our route to parenthood has not been an easy one. We have had 9 cycles of IVF and lost some pregnancies along the way including one in the second trimester.

This was always going to be a high risk pregnancy and consultant led due to my history but we discovered last week that our first scan at 6 weeks had missed a heartbeat and we are infact pregnant with two!

To everyones surprise, The embryo split the day after transfer and we have twins on board, each with their own sac and placenta which I'm told is a good thing.

I'm partly over the moon but also terrified. I'm 8 weeks now so it's still early.

I wonder if anyone's been through anything similar... I think I'm shell shocked. Everything I read online about twin pregnancies feels terrifying and when I spoke to my doctor (who didn't scan me) he immediately started talking about vanishing twin syndrome...

Hi I’m also pregnant with twins with their own sacks and placenta. Mine are natural conception so I haven’t had the IVF journey you’ve had, though I have suffered a second trimester loss at 18 weeks my son Alexander.

Like you I have googled absolutely everything possible about twin pregnancy and it’s definitely concerning being high risk. Thankfully separate sacks and placenta is the lowest risk as far as twin pregnancy goes. I have also worried over vanishing twin syndrome and in fact thought I had lost one or both of them last week and had a few nervous days waiting for a scan to confirm they were both still in there and doing fine.

My twins measuring are 8+3 and 8 weeks which is apparently normal for them to be slightly different. I have been told they could be identical, though for me I think it’s much more likely they are fraternal and my ovary chucked out an extra egg as I’m 39.

Ive known for 2 weeks now and so far it’s been the longest 2 weeks of my life. I’ve had spotting on and off and then a bleed last week which convinced me I had lost them. My next scan is in 12 days which seems ages away. I really wish the spotting would stop so I could maybe relax a little, we think it’s due to cervical ectropion caused by all the extra hormones as no reason for the bleeding could be seen on either of the scans I had.

It’s such a nerve wracking time, I’m scared to anything and have become the most unproductive person ever . I’m so tired, if I could sleep away the next few months and wake when I know everything will be ok I would!

We have a set of twins conceived naturally. Both had their own sacs and placentas and it was confirmed at birth they are from different eggs as they have different blood groups (they always test as I'm RhD-). They were a failed coil pregnancy, was a shock to be told 2 measuring over 7wk at epau.
I was scanned every 4 weeks at twin clinic in hospital. They had no problems during the pregnancy, it was tough on me because they were big girls and I had spd/pgp. I carried them to 38wk, they were perfect and sailed through all checks at birth so we got to take them home the day after elcs (transverse and breech). They are 6 years old now. People tell you how special twins are but you don't realise just how special until you have your own.

Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy.

Congratulations my IVF ID twins are 4 now but I still remember that first scan and being told we were lucky enough to be expecting not just one, but two precious babies!

Did you only have 1 embryo transferred?

2 placentas is definitely good news, and it takes away an awful lot of the scary risky stuff. I believe DCDA twins are usually recommended to go no longer than 38 weeks, but I'm not certain on that as mine were MCDA.

How many weeks are you now?

I'm also pregnant with DCDA twins. 32+2 now and had a few issues with baby girl measuring small but we're still going. At least with twins you will be closely monitored and get to see them more often. Try not to worry yourself, sleep as much as you can and eat little and often. Also be prepared for the breathlessness 😂 I cant wait for my little poppets to come along! Good luck

Firstly congratulations!! I had 5 rounds of IVF before welcoming my twins. They’ve just turned 2. I was also very concerned about the pregnancy.

The reality is that you will be consultant led which can feel very scary but it’s also reassuring that you’re monitored so closely.

It helped me to think of milestones that were not to far away, such as 12 week scan, 16 week scan and then after my 20 week scan I was scanned every 2 weeks before moving to every week at 28 weeks. I had my girls at 33 weeks and they’re now absolutely thriving

Xxx

Big congratulations! I have 3 month old DCDA twins from a double transfer on our 5th and final round of IVF

For me pregnancy was fine until 18 weeks - then I started to struggle physically - I was quite petite so found walking too far or standing to long meant my hips, pelvis, bump and back really hurt for an entire day afterwards. Luckily
I was working from home (thanks covid!) so was able to be pretty much on sofa rest from 18 weeks. 28 weeks I started to have large bleeds, one twin was measuring much smaller than the other but hospital care was amazing! Bleeds continued until 34 weeks when they were born by emergency c section - I had 2 nights in hospital they spent nearly 3 weeks (little twins alway was 3lbs smaller and that has stayed that way after birth)

I have an older child and I've found having the twins home pretty easy - you just have to keep going like a machine - change, feed, sleep, repeat. Don't expect too much - just getting out of the house with them for a walk is enough.

Having twins is truly amazing and a blessing! I'm lying here now watching them cuddle each other in their cot (they still share sometimes)

Agree with the breathlessness! Just getting up the stairs was an achievement during pregnancy 🤣 - my resting heart rate went from 67 pre pregnancy to 100 by the end of my pregnancy. My fit bit was very confused as to why I was in fat burning heart rate mode all day but I was putting on weight 🤣

So have they seen both heartbeats and how are yours measuring? My little twin measured a couple of days behind until 12 weeks then the gap got wider and she generally measured at least a week behind.

There is another lady on the IVF boards who has had identical twins from a single embryo transfer but her shared a placenta - she did really well and got to 36 weeks I think. Another lady on our IVF thread had twins a week or so ago with DCDA twins and almost got to 37 weeks

Hi all
Thankyou so much for your lovely responses they are all so reassuring and just what I needed to hear!

Sorry I didn't reply sooner I didn't get the notification from Mumsnet that the thread had been replied to.

Yes we only had one embryo transferred it was a natural frozen cycle so the doctor said that what would have happened is the next day the embryo split into two and both parts implanted.

We saw a heartbeat last week (7w3d) for both babies. Both were measuring a little behind but both within the +5/-5 days so the nurse said it was nothing to worry about and also it's normal that one of the babies was a little smaller.

Funny thing was we had a private scan a couple of days before the IVF one and she only confirmed one pregnancy and a fibroid!!

My second trimester loss of our little boy (singleton pregnancy) was due to incompetent cervix though I have since had a cervical stitch placed so I am just hoping my cervix will take the weight of two. Obviously I'm going to be taking it very easy (which is hard in itself ey?) and allow the doctors to monitor me.

@Lillygolightly Thankyou for sharing your little boys name with me. I'm so sorry for your loss and I completely understand how this pain never leaves you and how a pregnancy after loss throws up so many emotions.

Thankyou all for so many kind words of support.

So if this wasn't an IVF pregnancy you would have been told your babies were non identical!
I find it all so fascinating!

@springhasalmostsprung I know! The twin world is a whole new one that I've never looked into simply because we were always told only transfer one embryo because of my history...

I didn't realise there were so many variants to a twin pregnancy! It only struck me a couple of hours after the news that they will be the same gender (excuse the dimness, I was in shock!)

I constantly find myself thinking about the smaller twin and hoping they're ok, and then remembering that there's another one too!

Also forgot to add to someone who mentioned a c section I'd have had to have a c section even with a singleton because my cervix is permanently stitched.

8 weeks this week and already showing a bit of a bump, though that could be progesterone bloat and the fact I can only abide beige food! Xx

You'll see twins everywhere now too!

It's totally normal that one is smaller than the other, the difference is minimal though, and remember they are measuring something so so tiny so even a fraction out on the measurements makes a big difference.

Congratulations OP! I have identical twins. I don't think I slept for about 3weeks after finding out as I was googling everything and worrying but you are so closely monitored throughout that I felt happy and my worries were always dealt with by my consultant.

If you have Instagram then winging_twinning (Taylor moss) had non identical twins via IVF and had a cervical stitch, following the loss of her daughter Bunny. Her boys were born in 2018 so you would need to scroll back but she is great at responding to any questions or messages. Her boys were delivered at 36weeks via planned section due to her stitch.

Thankyou so much @Wishing56 !!! You are so right I'm just on a constant google search about something twin related.

I think i already follow Taylor and she was very helpful in advising about my stitch. I'll reach out again. Thankyou x

If you have an incompetent cervix I would definitely plan to be on bed rest very very early in your pregnancy. Are you able to work from home etc?

I had a noticeable bump from 9 weeks - definitely bloat

@andivfmakes3 I am already working from home and although my company is talking about going back to the office I'm hoping my doctor will risk assess and say home working only.

My stitch is in place and the plan is to have a 2nd one placed at 12 weeks.

Thank you x