Twin Transfusion Syndrome
Twin transfusion syndrome results in the rare cases (10%) where identical twins share blood vessels in the placenta. One twin (called the donor) receives less blood, and the other twin (recipient) gets more blood. Both babies are likely to suffer from serious health problems if the doctor fails to notice or treat the condition. When twin transfusion syndrome happens before 26 weeks, there is often nothing that a doctor can do to prevent some birth defects, but they may be able to keep both babies alive.
What Injuries Might a Twin Transfusion Syndrome Lawyer See?
If the condition is not found and treated while the twins are still in utero, the result is often stillbirth for one or more of the babies, and occasionally neonatal death if they survive the pregnancy. In untreated cases, the more common birth injuries that a medical malpractice attorney would see include:
- Low birth weight, low blood pressure, and anaemia in the donor twin
- High blood pressure, and unusually high birth weight in the recipient twin
- Heart and lung problems in the recipient twin from pulmonary congestion
- Brain damage or cerebral palsy in donor twin due to lack of oxygen and nutrients
How does a Twin Transfusion Syndrome Lawyer Prove Fault?
Your medical malpractice attorney in these cases should have the knowledge and experience of a twin transfusion syndrome lawyer. When the fault lies with your doctor’s mistreatment of your pregnancy, a medical malpractice lawyer can assess your case, and with the help of a team of medical experts, determine what signs should have pointed the doctor to a proper diagnosis. The failure to either test for or properly follow up on and treat these signs indicates negligence:
- Differences in the twins’ umbilical cord sizes
- Significant differences in size of the babies
- Amniotic sac size and fluid volume differences
These are measurements that should be made and noted during an ultrasound screening, and need to be further investigated, immediately.
If twin transfusion syndrome is detected, medical advancements such as laser surgery in utero and amniocentesis can be used to treat twin transfer syndrome. If laser surgery isn’t a viable option, the doctor should explain this carefully to the patient, and attempt a blood transfusion to the donor baby, to replace the blood lost.
If treatment isn’t an option, the pregnancy should be closely monitored, and labor is often induced at the earliest possible time.
Contacting a Boston Medical Malpractice Lawyer
If your doctor failed to properly diagnose or treat your twin transfusion syndrome, and one or both of your babies suffered birth injuries or fatalities as a result, contact us as your Boston medical malpractice lawyer as soon as possible. Your medical malpractice attorney can help you get the compensation you deserve.
In birth injuries, medical costs are often ongoing and expensive. As your Boston medical malpractice lawyer, we can help you secure the funds you will need to care for your injured children.