DCDA twins have two placentas and two separate amniotic sacs. These babies usually have different genetic material; approximately 10% will be identical.07312042004A/[email protected]+GIScanTwinsTherearethreedifferenttypesoftwins:Dichorionicdiamniotic(DCDA)TwinsDCDAtwinshavetwoplacentasandtwoseparateamnioticsacs.Thesebabiesusuallyhavedifferentgeneticmaterial;approximately10%willbeidentical.Image:DCDATwinsDCDAtwinsareusuallyroutinelyscannedmonthlytoassessgrowthandwellbeingofeachbabyandforcervicalassessment.Monochorionicdiamniotic(MCDA)TwinsMCDAtwinshaveasingleplacentaandtwoseparateamnioticsacs.Thesebabieshaveidenticalgeneticmaterial.Image: MCDATwinsMCDAtwinsareroutinelyscannedeverytwoweeksfrom16-32weekstomonitorfortheearlysignsoftwin-twintransfusionsyndromeandcanencounterotherproblemsduringpregnancy,including:Acutetwin-twintransfusionTwinembolisationsyndromeTwin-reversedarterialperfusionsyndromeorAcardiactwinMonochorionicmonoamniotic(MCMA)TwinsMCMAtwinshaveasingleplacentaandbothbabiessharethesameamnioticsac.Theyalsohavethesamegeneticmaterial.Image:MCMATwinsMCMAtwinsarescannedweeklyafter24weeksuntilelectivedelivery—usuallyat32weeks—inamajorcentrewithalevel1neonatalintensivecareunit. MCMAtwinscanbeatagreaterriskfor:CordentanglementandlossofoneorbothfetusesAcutetwin-twintransfusionConjoinedtwinsChallengesfacingalltwinsAlltwinsmaypotentiallyencounterthefollowingspecialproblemsduringpregnancy:Prematuredelivery.Themeangestationalageofdeliveryfortwinsis36weeks,fortripletsis33weeksandforquadrupletsis29weeks. Halfofalltwinpregnancieswilldeliverpriorto36weeks.Ultrasoundcanbeusedtomonitorcervicallength,whichismuchmoreaccuratethanpelvicclinicalexamination.Cervicallengthcanidentifythosepatientsathighriskofprematuredelivery.Growthrestrictionofoneorbothfetuses.Lowbirthweightlessthan2500g.Theseinfantsareatsignificantriskofshort-termandlong-termhealthproblems.Greaterriskforchromosomalandstructuralabnormalities.Greaterriskoffetalloss.Yourdoctorwilldecide