Mum Shares Amazing Story Of How Twins With Rare Pregnancy Condition Defied Doctors To Survive

A mum has shared her amazing story of how her twins defied doctors to survive a rare condition of their umbilical cords been tangled during pregnancy.

The Mirror reports:

Kate Lucas was thrilled when she was told she was pregnant with twins but the elation quickly turned to heartache when she was told they were ‘Monoamniotic’ or MoMo and were unlikely to survive pregnancy .

The condition affects around one in every 100 twins and means they have no dividing membrane so their umbilical chords will continue to wrap around each other as the fetuses grow often starving them of oxygen supply.

But despite the doctor’s predictions little Harper and Cleo were born weighing just 4lb and 3lb and are now healthy and happy eight-year-olds and Kate, from Queensland, Australia, has shared her story in a bid to inspire other mums.

In a heartfelt blog on the Miracle Babies website , Kate, said: “When MoMo’s survive they are known to be the closest twins of all as they have been in physical contact since conception, they have been seen holding hands and sleeping forehead to forehead in the womb. “Some of the ultrasound pics are amazing. Two little bodies wrapped around one another in a tight cuddle, two faces looking eye to eye at one another, we couldn’t wait to see our girls share this bond.”

After undergoing weekly scans from 24 weeks, Kate was admitted to hospital at 28 weeks for daily scans and checks ahead of a planned cesarean section at 32 weeks.

She described the arrival of her “perfect” baby girls – weighing just 4lb and 3lb being met with a shocked silence when they and doctors realised true extent to how entangled the cords had become.

She said: “Finally my five-week stay in hospital was coming to an end – we had reached 32 weeks with few scares, only to be told the NICU was full and we would have to wait another day. As we ate breakfast suddenly midwives arrived with a gown and the news 2 beds were now free and we were to deliver our babies immediately.

In no time at all our 2 tiny girls were born within minutes of each other, the girls screamed as they entered the world, and continued to breathe on their own! Harper 1.9kg and Cleo 1.5kg – tiny but perfect.

“As the cords were examined a shocked silence fell over the room. The girls had survived horrific entanglement, with a true knot at one point. We delivered them just in time…..they were truly our miracle MoMo’s.”

Harper and Clio are now healthy “best friends” growing up with their older brother and sister and Kate is now hoping to support other ‘MoMo’ mums through the Miracle Babies Foundation.

She said: “After two previous singleton, natural, yoga-filled, water-birthed pregnancies and babies, this fully monitored, medically overdosed, terrifyingly uncertain pregnancy with a caesarean and long-term hospital stay,  it was a test on our marriage, our strength, our positivity, our emotions, and our ability to look beyond and into the future.

“Our ‘Twirlies’ as they are affectionately known, are now nearly eight. They are like chalk and cheese and yet they are alike in so many ways. They giggle and play all day long and we struggle to get them to stop chattering in bed each night. But now having two is even easier than one as they do everything together and are the best of friends.”