What are the stages of TTTS?

What are the stages of TTTS?

Quintero TTTS Staging System

• Stage I: The fetal bladder of the donor twin remains visible on ultrasound.
• Stage II: The bladder of the donor twin is not visible on ultrasound.
• Stage III: Doppler studies in either twin are critically abnormal fetal.
• Stage IV: Fetal hydrops is noted.
• Stage V: Demise of one or both twins.

How do you diagnose TTTS?

True TTTS is diagnosed when ultrasound examination shows that the deepest pocket of amniotic fluid in one twin’s sac measures less than 2 centimeters, while the deepest pocket of amniotic fluid measures greater than 8 centimeters in the other twin’s sac.

What causes TTTS?

TTTS is caused by abnormal connections between twins that form when the placenta first develops. This is a purely mechanical and random event that can’t be avoided.

What is TTTS in twin pregnancy?

Twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) is a rare pregnancy condition affecting identical twins or other multiples. TTTS occurs in pregnancies where twins share one placenta (afterbirth) and a network of blood vessels that supply oxygen and nutrients essential for development in the womb.

How is TTTS treated?

Laser fetal surgery is the only treatment that targets the cause of the TTTS. In this procedure, a laser fiber enclosed in a long, thin telescope is inserted into the uterus to separate the blood vessels on the placenta that run from one twin to the other.

How early can TTTS be detected?

Twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome typically develops between weeks 16 and 26 of a woman’s pregnancy. But an ultrasound as early as 10 to 14 weeks can put doctors on alert that there is a twin gestation, and if they are sharing a placenta. TTTS is diagnosed by measuring levels of amniotic fluid.

Can both twins survive TTTS?

In almost 90 percent of those pregnancies, at least one baby will survive and be healthy after leaving the hospital NICU. Having both twins survive advanced TTTS remains a challenge, however. Across all medical centers in the United States, about half of pregnancies treated for TTTS end with two healthy babies.

How serious is TTTS?

Twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) is a rare yet serious condition, requiring fetal intervention to prevent loss of one or both fetuses. Mayo Clinic is one of a handful of medical centers treating this condition nationwide.

Can twins survive TTTS?

The majority of TTTS twins who have appropriate treatment during pregnancy will survive and the majority of survivors will be normal and healthy. If untreated, the survival rate for TTTS twins is approximately 10 to 15 percent. Once TTTS babies are born, blood supply sharing is no longer a factor.

How early can TTTS be treated?

Recommended screening begins at 16 weeks and is performed biweekly. TTTS can develop at any point during pregnancy but typically emerges in the second trimester.

Does TTTS affect the mother?

Some research suggests that mothers with pregnancies complicated by TTTS may have lower protein levels in their blood than other pregnant women. It may be recommended that mothers with TTTS pregnancies consider additional protein through nutrition supplements such as protein shakes.