By the time of discharge, the larger twin had grown to 2,040 grams, and the smaller, once considered unlikely to survive , had reached 1,500 grams.
Published Nov 28, 2025 | 12:28 AM ⚊ Updated Nov 28, 2025 | 12:28 AM
Infant in a hospital. Representational Image. (iStock)
Synopsis: At MGM Healthcare in Chennai, doctors saw a different possibility. The team identified the condition as Monochorionic Diamniotic pregnancy complicated by Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome, a rare problem that can deteriorate quickly.
Two and a half months before their due date, a pair of twins were fighting uneven odds in the womb.
One was swelling with excess blood, the other weakening from too little, a life-threatening imbalance caused by sharing a single placenta. Their parents were told elsewhere that only one child had a real chance.
At MGM Healthcare in Chennai, doctors saw a different possibility. The team identified the condition as Monochorionic Diamniotic pregnancy complicated by Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome, a rare problem that can deteriorate quickly.
Yet they believed careful timing and close monitoring could save both babies. Their confidence, and the precision of their coordinated plan, ultimately changed the outcome.
The parents, a couple from Ambur — he a software engineer, she an architect — had visited hospitals in Bengaluru, where specialists warned that the smaller twin’s chances were very low.
The team identified the condition as Monochorionic Diamniotic pregnancy. (Supplied)
Some even suggested an in-utero laser procedure. Still determined to save both babies, the couple reached MGM Healthcare.
Here, the team led by Dr. A. Jaishree Gajaraj, Head of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, decided that intervention inside the womb was not required.
“We understood the circulatory imbalance, but we were confident that close surveillance could guide us to the right time for delivery,” she said. The doctors depended on continuous Doppler studies to assess blood flow in each twin.
The pregnancy was carried safely until 28 weeks, when the team delivered the twins through a lower-segment caesarean section. One weighed 1,115 grams, the other 720 grams — both extremely fragile, but alive.
Inside the Neonatal ICU, the next phase of survival began. Dr. N. Chandra Kumar, Senior Consultant & HOD – Paediatrics & Neonatology, said, “For 55 days, both babies needed intensive support, including respiratory care and blood products, which are common for very preterm infants.”
The babies were also started on central-line nutrition until they could tolerate feeding.
Dr. Radhika Ramesh, Senior Consultant, Fetal Medicine, explained the biggest challenge: “The key was timing. We had to closely watch the Doppler patterns to identify the moment when remaining in utero became more dangerous than delivering early.”
By the time of discharge, the larger twin had grown to 2,040 grams, and the smaller, once considered unlikely to survive , had reached 1,500 grams.
As Dr. Gajaraj summed up, “Both babies defied the odds because every decision was timed to protect them.”
(Edited by Sumavarsha)
