A twin pregnancy comes with risks for mother and babies and this Women’s Telehealth patient story presents one such serious complication.
This Pregnancy’s Challenge: The ultrasound conducted by the patient’s local OB physician revealed that one twin was growing and the other was not. Preliminary tests indicated a suspected “Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome,” caused by a blood vessel defect. Left untreated, the survival rate for both twins would be less than 15%. The mom-to-be needed immediate high-risk OB care and intervention. Because the closest MFM Specialist was two hours away and the patient would require consistent monitoring, she was referred to the OB/GYN’s MFM telemedicine partner in Atlanta, GA, Women’s Telehealth.
The Team’s Actions:
- The initial MFM telemed consult and specialized ultrasound confirmed the “Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome” and identified the problematic blood vessels causing it.
- The MFM physician forwarded all images and notes immediately to the closest fetal surgeon to see if he would take the case as there was a critical time window.
- The surgery was performed in FL and the patient stayed in the hospital for a few days to monitor mom and babies before they were released to home.
- WT continued to remotely monitor growth of both twins regularly until the OB and MFM doctors decided to deliver a little early via C-Section, to prevent loss and trauma.
The Results:
- Two healthy baby girls were delivered slightly early by C-Section with no residual health problems.
- Cost savings were estimated to be > $12,000 in expenses.
- Travel savings of 2700 miles and 40 commuting hours were realized.
Early identification and treatment of this often-fatal condition in a rural area, where there was no MFM specialist, led to the successful birth of these babies. Women’s Telehealth is pleased to have played a key role in arranging life-saving surgery through their network of high risk OB specialists and the use of continued monitoring via telemedicine!
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Multiple births are much more common today than in the past. According to the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, the twin birth rate has increased by over 75% since 1980, and triplet, quadruplet and high-order multiple births have increased at an even higher rate. To learn more, visit:
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Our goal in sharing patient case stories is to show the role and possibilities Women’s Telehealth plays in accessing and intervening in high risk pregnancies. We help turn patient and OB provider concern into the best possible care plans and outcomes for moms and their babies.
For more information, call our office at: 404.478.3017