Vanishing Twin Syndrome: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment

You want someone to pinch you slightly when you first find out that you are expecting twins, triplets, or quadruplets. Along with the excitement of carrying multiple babies, there are certain complications also. Vanishing twin syndrome is one such complication that is commonly found in the case of multiple pregnancies. In this article, we will discuss in detail about vanishing twin syndrome, twin miscarriage symptoms, its causes and treatment.

What is vanishing twin syndrome?

Vanishing twin syndrome is a type of miscarriage which can occur when a woman is carrying multiple babies such as twins or triplets. It is a kind of pregnancy complication involving the loss of one of the embryos, which was detected during an earlier ultrasound but can’t be found later. The embryo ceases to develop and the tissue gets absorbed by the expecting mother and/or the surviving embryo.

With vanishing twin syndrome, the multiple pregnancy involving twins or triplets becomes a pregnancy involving one lesser baby than initially expected.

What transpires if one twin absorbs the other?

The vanishing twin’s tissue is absorbed by the surviving embryo(s) and the expecting mother. Although the absorption process is harmless, it can be heart-rending for the expecting parents that one of the embryos has mysteriously and silently disappeared.

How common is vanishing twin syndrome?

Most people lose an embryo even before their first pregnancy ultrasound is performed. As a result, it’s hard to find out how common vanishing twin syndrome is. Only people who are more likely to get an early ultrasound such as couples doing IVF are more likely to discover that an embryo once existing has disappeared. Around 7-36% of IVF pregnancies which involve multiple babies are diagnosed with vanishing twin syndrome.

If you are wondering who is at risk of facing twin resorption or vanishing twin syndrome then maternal age plays a vital role in this. If the woman is above 30 years of age and requires ART (Assisted Reproductive Technique) then the chances of multiple pregnancy increases, which further increases the risk of vanishing twin syndrome. The exact cause behind this syndrome is still undescribed.

Symptoms of vanishing twin syndrome

If vanishing twin syndrome occurs during early pregnancy, then it may be completely asymptomatic for the expecting mother. However, if it occurs in late pregnancy then the symptoms are as follows:

• Vaginal bleeding

• Mild abdominal cramping

• Dull pain in pelvic

• Abnormal HCG levels (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin)

You must immediately seek medical help if you notice any of the above-mentioned twin miscarriage symptoms during any trimester of your pregnancy.

Causes of vanishing twin syndrome

The exact cause behind vanishing twin syndrome is still undescribed and it is not like a normal miscarriage also. As per the experts after the birth of a healthy child, the placental tissues of the healthy and unaffected baby are studied in detail to know the main cause behind the demise of one of the fetuses. The possible causes behind it are chromosomal abnormalities and developmental malformations which are genetic.

Diagnosis and tests of vanishing twin syndrome

Vanishing twin syndrome can be diagnosed during the ultrasound scan that is performed between 8-12 weeks of pregnancy which detects the absence of cardiac motion of one of the embryos. The death of a twin at an early stage of pregnancy (embryonic phase) may shrink the size of the placenta and reduce the amount of amniotic fluid also.

When the vanishing twin syndrome happens during a later stage of pregnancy, the pressure exerted by living twins causes structural changes in the tissues of the dead fetus. If the dead fetus appears significantly compressed during delivery, then it is known as fetus compressus. If it gets flattened due to the placental shrinkage and reduced amniotic fluid, then it is known as fetus papyraceous.

Soon after the vanishing twin radiology, it is the prime duty of the sonographer to inform the expecting mother about the confirmation of the vanishing twin.

Management and treatment of vanishing twin syndrome

As of now, there is no treatment for vanishing twin syndrome in medical science. However, regular monitoring and ultrasound scans are strongly recommended by doctors during every month of the pregnancy to closely monitor the stable blood flow between the mother and the embryos.

If vanishing twin syndrome is diagnosed at a later stage probably in the second or third trimester, then the doctor might warn about the urgent delivery after monitoring the whole case carefully. The best management of vanishing twin syndrome is providing proper medical attention to the expecting mother and the surviving fetus.

Prevention

There is no way to prevent vanishing twin syndrome as it is caused by no fault of the expecting mother. Many women who endure a twin miscarriage wonder what they could have done differently but the genetic anomalies that stop the embryo’s development aren’t preventable or curable.