There have been many medical advances in recent years that didn't exist not so long ago, and it's in the delicate world of the womb that we see many cases of almost miraculous survivals.
Just a few years ago, Alma Duffy went in for a checkup. She said that at just 20 weeks along, she felt bloated, and like she was at the end of her pregnancy.
She left with some disturbing news: her twins girls suffered from a condition called Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome, and that's what was causing her symptoms. The condition affects 15 percent of multiple births. It's characterized by a disproportionate blood supply to each fetus — one receiving much more than the other — causing other injuries to the babies, including organ failure. The mortality rate is quite high, even with treatment.
Alma opted for laser fetal surgery. Dr. Ramen Chmait performed the fetoscopic surgery by peering into Alma's uterus and mapping the blood vessels in the placenta. He then lasered the abnormal ones that connected the twins to one another. After the procedure, there was a 50 percent chance both babies would survive. But Alma tells LittleThings that Dr. Chmait felt good about the twins' chances of survival because of her good health.
Sure enough, during her subsequent checkups, everything looked good with Alma's babies.
And just a few years later, she tells LittleThings.com, "The girls are healthy active 8 year olds. I now call our family the Duffy Zoo, as it is constant madness balancing work, home, the children's activities, but I wouldn't have it any other way."
If you're thankful for today's medical advances like this mom surely is, please SHARE!
Warning: The following video contains imagery of medical procedures that some viewers may find graphic.
