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SN children

Here are some suggested organisations that offer expert advice on special needs.

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Original poster

Did you see this?

9 replies

eidsvold · 30/08/2007 22:37

article

was reported in our newspaper yesterday.

Anyone with a science background explain to me how they knew one babe had ds and not the other - I would have thought an amnio would just take amniotic fluid and it would be the same fluid for both or is it the type of twin they would have been - two sacs iyswim - sorry not a science scholar??

Won't repeat what I said to dh about it - would have me absolutely flamed from this board.

Absolutely saddened by the whole thing - some stories are describing the child with down syndrome as 'malformed!!!'

OP posts:

crimplene · 30/08/2007 22:57

They would have to be non-identical twins that happened because two eggs were fertilised independently so they would each have different DNA. Identical twins happen becasue one fertilised egg splits in two after conception and share a sac. My understanding is that when an embryo splits to make identical twins it's already more than just one cell, so I don't think it could be possible that identical twins have non-identical DNA (i.e one could have Down's), but someone who knows more about genetics might correct me here.

They could do two amnios/ cvs; by taking fluid from each of the two sacs/ placentas as non-identical twins have one each. I imagine they would have identified the pregnancy as 'high risk' because of the woman's age and then found some markers for Down's using ultrasound as a triple/ quadruple test wouldn't work for any twin pregnancy. I think aborting one twin is a pretty high risk to the other twin even when they don't make mistakes.

The article makes me very sad too. My DS has SN after a 'high risk' pg where they couldn't find what was 'wrong'

crimplene · 30/08/2007 23:01

Perhaps the 'identical' bit in the article is a mistake?

Original poster

eidsvold · 31/08/2007 11:18

that is what I thought - non identical to two separate sacs but identical - one sac - maybe I am wrong.

OP posts:

gess · 31/08/2007 14:37

I suppose the baby with DS could have had the condition as a mosaic (so some cells trisomy 21, others normal). I get very confused about sharing sacs and twin to twin transfusions etc. you need a midwife. But yes if one baby had mosaic down's then they could still be identical twins (but no idea how that works with testing etc and whther that negates that possibility). INteresting that the Guardian referred to the baby as 'malformed'. Would have thought it would be a bit more aware than that.

I may well get flamed but I did find it weird that the mother (who must be in a terrible place- can see that) said that her life had been ruined. But she was happy to terminate one of the babies anyway, so why is one a life ruining tragedy and one acceptable? Raises all sorts of questions really.

On a completely different note, when an old teacher of mine was in hospital she was in a ward where someone had the wrong leg amputated!

crimplene · 31/08/2007 18:16

Wasn't the Guardian refering to Italian law with the use of the word 'malformed' rather than this foetus - perhaps that's how it translates?

I visited the Vatican a couple of years ago (I'm not the least bit Catholic, I was just there to gawp) and noticed that one of the stewards working there had Down's. It made me think that, hey, at least they're putting their money where their mouth is. I've never met anyone with Down's in a customer service job in this country.

Original poster

eidsvold · 31/08/2007 22:51

gess - dh thought the 'malformed' was from the translation iyswim.

I'm with you gess - prepared to end one life and it is okay but to end the life of the other twin is a tragedy and the only victims are the parents!! I also said other things but just to dh.

I have no idea with testing twins - so just found it weird how they would know.

To me - the victims are those babes.

terribly sad.

OP posts:

EscapeFrom · 31/08/2007 22:54

I used to work with a waiter who has Down's syndrome. He worked there years, he used to train the other waiting staff.

alycat · 31/08/2007 23:03

I'm up for the flaming too!

I just cannot find, within myself, the appropriate level of sympathy for that woman.

On one hand a tragedy...one the other..to value one life over the other just because of an extra chromasome?

VeniVidiVickiQV · 31/08/2007 23:11

Oh what a dreadfully written article, and a very depressing situation.

How can they say "one healthy and one with Downs Syndrome"? Agree completely with you Gess.

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