8 week scan update and any experiences of a twin that's stopped growing? Also how to eat healthy with nausea?

[Orangeflowers]

Hi all, at my 7 week scan last week there was a surprise appearance of an extra sac and fainter heart beat, measuring 1 week behind. I had a 5bb and 4bc+ transferred.

Good news is that baby one still seems to be doing well today at a follow up scan at 8 weeks. Sadly baby 2 is still only measuring 6 weeks 4 days and the heartbeat isn't so strong.

This was half expected as I've had light bleeding every day from week 6, which is ongoing.

I have now been discharged from the IVF clinic and am waiting for a midwife appointment and 12 week scan. I'm told that it's likely that the second baby may have just disappeared by then - either heavier bleeding and pain (with possibility of trip to a and e), or simply it may flatten out and be reabsorbed.

Has anybody had a similar experience and what happened?

I feel very blessed to have the prospect of one baby, but still feel responsible for the other one and worried what might happen. Thinking now that if it just doesn't grow anymore and doesn't disappear than it may need to be surgically removed..?

Worried also for the impact on the healthily growing baby.

I've had a awful adversion to food this past few weeks also and can only stomach certain foods. I'm normally a big veg eater but can't face it and feeling guilty. Does anyone have any tips for 'hidding' veg or making it appealing?

Hope all is well with everyone 💖

[Sparklylife]

No experience re your scan - but I hope it all goes well! 🤞Is there a chance they can both be ok still or have they more or less said that won’t happen?

I only started with nausea this week - still waiting for my scan. I found fruit is helping if you can’t face veg. I really enjoyed my frozen pineapple pieces today and seemed to help nausea a little. I can’t face anything sweet tasting, but they are a bit sour, so was great! Grapes seems to be good too and can still drink juices and water - so maybe try focus on smoothies? Can always blitz spinach up with a fruit you like to mask it - make it tropical. Dry crackers seems to work too!

Oh I really do wish you all the best!! 🤞🤞🧡

[Orangeflowers in reply to Sparklylife]

Thanks for your advice. I gave a smoothie a go and managed 2 3rds of it, so a good way of getting some nutrition

Unfortunately, I don't think there's much hope for baby no. 2 as so tiny - only a quarter the size of the healthier baby and only 0.433mm! at 8 weeks.

Also, bleeding has been since week 6 which coincides with when the tiny one stopped growing.

I hope all goes well with your scan and have my fingers crossed 🤞 for you 💞💖xx

[Ivfgotadream]

Before 12 weeks your body will just absorb the second twin - even in later pregnancies they don’t operate due to the risk to the surviving twin.Only thing you’d need to watch is that If the twin isn’t fully absorbed it can invalidate some of the testing - eg the combined test for downs so you might need to discuss that with the doctors at the 12 week scan x

[Orangeflowers in reply to Ivfgotadream]

Thank you, that is reasurring and so helpful as this is all new to me. I didn't even think about the implications for the testing, so that's something for me to think about definitely.

Hope all is well with you and your two little ones 💞💖xx

[Sweatsour]

Hi there, I was in a similar situation however I didnt have a bleeding. Transfer of 2 embryos, week 6 - 2 heart beats, week 8 - 1 baby going strong and the second baby stopped developing at around week 7. I didnt bleed and I didnt have to had any procedure. The baby/sac is small at that stage and your body should absorb it. It may take a while though. In my case they could still see a small second sac at week 16. This is called vanishing twin and it will affect your genetic testing like panorama or harmony so I recommend to discuss thos with your dr. I did panorama at week 13 and received 'no result' with a note that vanishing twin has been detected. I repeated a test at week 28 and at that stage I got proper result. Best of luck with rest of your pregnancy. Sending you lots of positive energy.

[Orangeflowers in reply to Sweatsour]

Thank you. You are so strong to deal with the uncertainty for so long. Your story really helps me understand what might happen. In pleased things seem to have worked out well for you xxx

[articsnowfox]

I had a twin stop developing between week 8 and week 10, and it was reabsorbed without any issues..

[Orangeflowers in reply to articsnowfox]

Thanks for sharing. That's reasurring xx

[Cinna-mom]

I had two sacs but one was empty. I’m currently 14 weeks with one fetus. I was just glad that I have at least one that’s continuing to grow. At first, it was disheartening but now I’ve come to terms with it. Congrats on ur pregnancy 🤗

[Orangeflowers in reply to Cinna-mom]

Thank you. I'm glad things have worked out well for you. It gives me some hope for one surviving. All the best xx

[josephnsn]

I was pregnant with twins. All was fine at 8wk scan but at dating scan one twin's heartbeat had stopped. The one that passed got reabsorbed. It didn't impact the other baby and I have a healthy 2 yr old boy. It did however impact my combined downs syndromes test they do at the dating scan as they couldn't do the blood test bit because 1 twin had passed away. Due to my age (42) which was one of the factors they use to assess downs syndrome risk I came back as high risk. I chose to do an amniocentesis to find out for definite. That was a stressful decision to make and also waiting to see if it caused miscarriage but luckily it all worked out.

Hoping both babies make it for you.

Re veg, try smoothies with sweet fruit like banana/mango/grapes and just a small bit of veg and some milk. Cut up veg really small or puree the sauce with veg in it if you are making a sauce. I wouldn't feel too guilty, in pregnancy lots of women get an aversion to certain foods. Take a good pregnancy multivitamin and hopefully this won't last too long and you can then fill up on more veg.

[Orangeflowers in reply to josephnsn]

Thank you for your reply. I'm so glad things worked out well for you. I imagine I'm going to be in a similar position at my dating scan re the tests so that info is really useful. I'm 41, and 42 in April and imagine I'll be scored similarly, based on my age. It's going to be so hard!

I'll defo try that smoothie. Mango actually sounds partially appealing right now.

Hope all goes well with what you're dreaming for next year x