Twin Talks: Pregnancy and Parenting Multiple Children · New Mommy Media | Independent Podcast Network

What is Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS)?

·1 hr 4 min·4 clips

Mary defines TTTS stages one through five, ending with loss of one or both twins.

Twin Talks opens by naming TTTS as a serious complication that does not affect most twins, but can matter a great deal when twins share a placenta. The show brings in Mary Slayman from the Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome Foundation to raise awareness and talk through options for families who may be dealing with it. The conversation keeps coming back to the basic problem at the center of TTTS. One twin can get too much blood and strain the cardiovascular system. The other can be left with too little and become severely anemic. That imbalance is explained in plain terms, so the stakes stay clear without softening the medical reality. The episode also moves into TAPS, described as a related form of TTTS that can show up suddenly, often toward the end of pregnancy. The discussion notes that it can happen after laser surgery if tiny connecting vessels were missed. It also points out that TAPS does not always come with the same fluid imbalance seen in classic TTTS. The show then talks through staging and monitoring. Dopplers on the umbilical cord and the middle cerebral artery are described as tools doctors use to spot trouble early. The conversation makes clear that abnormal results can help clinicians detect anemia or signs that the syndrome may be coming before things worsen. From there, the focus shifts to what expecting twin parents should know if they are told their babies are identical and monochorionic. The episode stresses the importance of being transferred to a high risk doctor. It treats that step as part of getting the right level of attention. The overall tone stays practical and parent centered. Even with all the medical language, the episode keeps asking the same basic question: what does this mean for the family trying to get through the pregnancy safely? The answers stay grounded in monitoring, risk awareness, and knowing when specialized care matters. The episode closes with the show’s usual health reminder and resource signposts, keeping the focus on support and next steps.

As heard by us

A clear, careful guide for twin parents facing a serious pregnancy risk.

This episode explains twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome with steady clarity, making a complicated pregnancy risk feel easier to grasp. Mary Slayman of the Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome Foundation helps ground the discussion in practical terms, from why shared-placenta twin…

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Why you'd press play

If your twins share a placenta, this is the episode that helps you understand why doctors watch so closely.

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