Photo credit: Nino H. Photography/Moment Open/Getty Images
Expecting twins is not a typical experience, but there are some types of twin pregnancies that are even more unusual. A mono-mono twin pregnancy is a good example of that. It is not only rare, but it can be dangerous. Moms who have a diagnosed monoamniotic-monochorionic pregnancy (where babies share an amniotic sac and a placenta) usually spend months in the hospital on strict bed rest to hopefully prevent fatal complications. A high percentage of mono-mono pregnancies don't have a happy outcome because as the babies share an amniotic sac, their cords can become entangled. But this Ohio mom not only carried her twins to term, but the baby girls surprised the entire operating room when they were born holding hands.
Mono-mono pregnancy
Sarah Thistlewaite had spent months at Akron General Medical Center in Ohio, subjected to daily monitoring sessions to ensure that her rare pregnancy had the best possible outcome. Her monoamniotic-monochorionic pregnancy was considered extremely high risk, and adding to the stress of knowing that her babies could have passed away at any moment, she had to endure being away from the comfort of her home, her 15-month-old son and everyone else she loved.
Mono-mono twins are also often born earlier than an ordinary pregnancy, and that was the case for Thistlewaite and her husband. Last Friday, at 33 weeks, she underwent a C-section.
That's when the astounding photo was taken. As soon as the girls were lifted out of their mama, everyone was shocked to note that the newborns were clutching one another's hands. Thistlewaite said that there wasn't a dry eye in the operating room.
The girls, identical twins named Jenna and Jillian, were born healthy, but experienced some breathing problems and were moved to the NICU. Yesterday they planned to bring her son up to meet his sisters, and the family would be together for the first time ever on Mother's Day.
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