Twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) is a rare, serious condition that can occur in pregnancies. This happens when identical twins share a placenta ...HealthLibraryTwin-TwinTransfusionSyndrome(TTTS)HomeHealthLibraryTTwin-TwinTransfusionSyndrome(TTTS)NavigateThisAreaCincinnatiChildren'sFetalCareCenterConditionsWeTreatTreatmentsandServicesSecondOpinionsForPatientsandFamiliesPatientStoriesForHealthcareProfessionalsResearchEthicalStandardsMeettheTeamContact/ReferGiveTodayPrintTwin-TwinTransfusionSyndrome(TTTS)WhatIsTwin-TwinTransfusionSyndrome?Twin-twintransfusionsyndrome(TTTS)isarare,seriousconditionthatcanoccurinpregnancies.Thishappenswhenidenticaltwinsshareaplacenta(monochorionic).Abnormalbloodvesselconnectionsformintheplacenta.Theyallowbloodtoflowunevenlybetweenthefetuses.Onetwin−calledthedonor–becomesdehydrated.Theothertwin−calledtherecipient−developshighbloodpressure.Therecipientproducestoomuchurineandoverfillstheamnioticsac.TTTSisadiseaseoftheplacenta.Itaffectseachtwindifferently.Thedonortwindoesnotproduceasmuchurineasitshould.Thiscausesalowamountofamnioticfluidandpoorfetalgrowth.Therecipienttwinhasmoreurinethanusual.Thisleadstoanenlargedbladderandtoomuchamnioticfluid.Theextrafluidintherecipientfetuscanputastrainontheheart.Thiscanleadtoheartfailure.ThereisnoknowncauseofTTTS.Withouttreatment,thisconditioncanbefatalforoneorbothtwins.Fetalsurgeryissometimesneededtotreatthecondition.TheprognosisisbetterwhenTTTSdevelopsafter20weeks’gestation.Gettingadiagnosisoftwin-twintransfusionsyndromeisanemotionalexperience.Sometimesdecisionsabouttreatmentmustbemadequickly.AttheCincinnatiChildren’sFetalCareCenter,weareheretohelp.Evaluation&DiagnosisofTTTSTheCincinnatiChildren'sFetalCareCenterevaluates,givesadiagnosis,andrecommendationsfortreatmentinaone-ortwo-dayvisit.Surgerymaytakeplacewithinadayofthediagnosis.Whenpatientscometoourcenterforanevaluation,thefirststepistocheckforthepresenceofTTTS.Weuseultrasound,fetalMRI,andfetalechocardiography(adetailedexaminationofbothbabies’hea