A couple were left heartbroken after being told it was likely their babies weren’t going to survive – but now they’re healthy and thriving.
When Abigail Whitlock and her husband, Stuart, found out they were expecting twins, they were overwhelmed with joy.
But sadly, that was only short-lived.
The pair, aged 27 and 28, were told that their tots had developed twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) while in the womb – and they were showing late signs of organ failure.
Abigail and Stuart prepared themselves for the worst, as it was likely that they wouldn’t survive long enough to be born.
Now, though, they’ve defied all odds – and the mum-of-two is sharing her story in a bid to raise awareness.
“It was the most emotionally taxing experience we’ve ever had,” the risk analyst told Need To Know.
“I would cry all the time and just envision the worst possible outcome.
“Both myself and Stuart were in complete doubt of what the future held and we had lost all hope at one point.”
Abigail and Stuart, from Utah, US, had never struggled with fertility –falling pregnant on their first attempt.
At 20 weeks, they went for their anatomy scan, where the sonographer expressed difficulty getting the images, as there was too much amniotic fluid.
Due to this, they were referred to a maternal foetal medicine specialist, who also found trouble due to the large amount of fluid surrounding the twins.
A few days later, though, their aforementioned condition was confirmed.
According to the NHS, TTTS is caused by abnormal connecting blood vessels in the shared placenta.
This results in an imbalanced blood flow from one twin to the other, leaving one with a greater volume.
The couple were told that their case was “dire and critical”.
She said: “I wanted to hear their little cries after entering the world – not say goodbye before they had even got here.
“A specialised procedure was offered, but was only performed in a handful of hospitals around the country.
“That same day, we got on a flight to Seattle and had the surgery carried out.”
A small laser was inserted into Abigail’s uterus to cauterise the blood vessels on the placenta, which was connecting the twins.
Though, it came with a life-changing risk.
She said: “We were told at this point that all there was to do was to wait and see if they had made a full recovery or not.
“Around 12 hours later, though, we were told that they were showing all of the right signs and things were looking positive.
“When we got home, three days later, we suffered another devastating blow.”
One of the twins had sadly developed hydrops fetalis, which can cause heart failure – and as it does so, fluid wraps around the other organs.
It was likely that he wouldn’t survive much longer.
To allow the other twin a greater chance of living, the doctors recommended the umbilical cord was clamped, which they denied.
She said: “The doctors recommended it though because it was apparent to them that he was going to imminently pass away and clamping his cord would cause him to pass away immediately and allow Harvey a greater chance at survival.
“We chose to defer on that decision for a few days.”
But then, a miracle happened.
She said: “At the next checkup, we learned that Bellamy had miraculously recovered.
“We were shocked, overwhelmed and ultimately overjoyed with the good news.
“All of the fluid had disappeared and he was on track to be here with us once again.”
But they weren’t out of the woods yet, with the twins’ condition progressing into twin anemia polycythemia sequence (TAPS).
Similar to TTTS, the blood flow wasn’t equal between the pair and if things were to get any worse, Abigail would have to give birth early.
Along with severe growth restrictions, heart complications and their two conditions, they were at high risk of developing neurological abnormalities – and even death.
In August 2023, at only 34 weeks, the decision to deliver them via c-section was made
Weighing only 4lbs, Harvey and Bellamy entered the world.
Now, they’re thriving and are completely healthy, with no issues, despite their troubling past.
Abigail and Stuart hope to share their story to warn other parents going through a similar situation and to provide a message of hope.
Especially as the situation could’ve been very different.
She added: “It’s been overwhelming and disparaging.
“My husband and I could barely function or complete the tasks of our everyday life because we were so heavily weighed down by the fact that either one – or both – of our twins that we were so in love with could pass away at any moment, and there was nothing we could do about it.
“Even for months after the twins were born, we would hold them and cry, and think of how we almost lost them.
“We credit the miracle of the birth of our twins to the expertise of the medical experts we saw, the faith of our friends and family, and the mercy of god.
“I know that not all pregnancy stories have a happy ending like ours.
“For all of the mums out there who struggle with pregnancy or who have lost a child, I would say that miracles do happen.
“I can also say that the joy that we feel now from having our twins in our lives greatly outweighs the sorrow we felt when we didn’t know if we would ever get to meet them
“Don’t lose hope.”
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