In most cases, identical twins share a placenta. In rare cases, however, one of the children can become so seriously ill at an early stage of development that its heart and brain fail to develop and all other organs are also malformed. During pregnancy, this sick twin is nourished by its sibling via the shared placenta; but would not be viable after delivery. In about half of the cases, the sick twin grows so large that the circulatory system of the previously healthy child becomes overloaded. This must be prevented at all costs, as otherwise the healthy baby may also die or suffer brain damage.
To reduce this risk, the umbilical cord of the affected fetus can be closed at the DZFT at any time during pregnancy using various minimally invasive procedures with the aim of saving your healthy child. In the least invasive option, radiofrequency ablation, the procedure is performed using a needle with an outer diameter of less than 1.5 mm. This procedure was introduced at the DZFT in Germany. It is performed under local anesthesia of the maternal abdominal wall.
If you have any further questions about minimally invasive treatment of this prenatal condition, you can reach us daily between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. at (0175) 597-1213 or send us an email. If you only reach our answering machine, please leave your name and a phone number where we can call you back.
Please note: The content of our website is for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace personal consultations with us or other recognized medical specialists in this field. For all individual questions and decisions concerning your health and that of your child, we strongly recommend that you and your family members contact us, your doctor, and/or other experts in person.