Twins given just a 10% chance of survival celebrate their first birthday after ...

Miracle twins given a ten per cent chance of survival have celebrated their first birthday after having surgery while they were still in the womb.

Sherrie Foulger, 32, and her fiancé Craig Armstrong, 30, were told their babies had twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) at a 16 week scan.

The condition causes one twin to receive more blood than the other, and doctors warned the babies were unlikely to survive the pregnancy.

The only option was a risky surgery which could have left either one, or both of the boys, Roma and Reeve Armstrong, brain damaged.

Surgeons wheeled Miss Foulger in for the pioneering operation when she was  21 weeks pregnant.  

After being born naturally at 29 weeks, the boys, from Ilkeston, Derbyshire, have suffered no long-term health complications. 

Roma and Reeve Armstrong, given a ten per cent chance of survival, have celebrated their first birthday after having surgery while they were still in the womb. Pictured with their mother, Sherrie Foulger, 33, at their home in Ilkeston, Devon

Roma and Reeve Armstrong, given a ten per cent chance of survival, have celebrated their first birthday after having surgery while they were still in the womb. Pictured with their mother, Sherrie Foulger, 33, at their home in Ilkeston, Devon

The babies were discovered to have twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome at the 16-week scan. Pictured as newborns

The babies were discovered to have twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome at the 16-week scan. Pictured as newborns

The babies were born premature at 29 weeks in April 2018, needing to be in intensive care for 40 days. Pictured, Roma

The babies were born premature at 29 weeks in April 2018, needing to be in intensive care for 40 days. Pictured, Roma

Cargo worker Miss Foulger and her fiancé Craig Armstrong, 30, were distraught to hear that even with surgery to save the twins, they could be brain damaged. But they have suffered no long-term health implications. Pictured on their first birthday

Cargo worker Miss Foulger and her fiancé Craig Armstrong, 30, were distraught to hear that even with surgery to save the twins, they could be brain damaged. But they have suffered no long-term health implications. Pictured on their first birthday

Cargo worker Miss Foulger, who has two children Theo Francis, 12, and Troy Francis, eight, from a previous relationship, said: 'We never thought we'd get to the point we're at now.

'We'd go for weekly scans and I'd be so anxious not knowing if they would be alive or dead.

'Now the boys are thriving. They're crawling around and holding themselves up and eating well.'

At her 16 week scan, Miss Foulger and Mr Armstrong, a groundworker, found out the twins had TTTS.

The condition occurs in around 15 per cent of monochorionic diamniotic (MCDA) twins – identical twins that share the placenta which account for around two thirds of identical twins, according to the NHS. 

It causes abnormal blood vessel connections to form in the placenta and prevent blood from flowing evenly between the babies. 

Diverted blood flow from one 'donor' twin goes to to the other 'recipient' twin.

This leads to an enlarged bladder and excessive amounts of amniotic fluid, and in most cases, one twin becomes dehydrated, which affects its growth, and the other develops high blood pressure which can lead to heart failure.     

Miss Foulger said: 'It broke my heart when they told me they had it. It absolutely petrified me.

While in the womb, surgeons performed pioneering but risky laser ablation surgery, which involves finding the blood vessels connecting the twins and closing them off to help the blood flow evenly. Pictured, the couple holding the twins in ICU after birth

While in the womb, surgeons performed pioneering but risky laser ablation surgery, which involves finding the blood vessels connecting the twins and closing them off to help the blood flow evenly. Pictured, the couple holding the twins in ICU after birth

At her 16 week scan, Miss Foulger and Mr Armstrong found out the twins had TTTS, a condition occurring in around 15 per cent of monochorionic diamniotic (MCDA) twins. (Pictured, scans)

At her 16 week scan, Miss Foulger and Mr Armstrong found out the twins had TTTS, a condition occurring in around 15 per cent of monochorionic diamniotic (MCDA) twins. (Pictured, scans)

Miss Foulger, pictured during pregnancy, broke down upon the diagnosis of TTTS

Miss Foulger, pictured during pregnancy, broke down upon the diagnosis of TTTS

Six days after their birth, Miss Foulger was able to cuddle both her babies

Six days after their birth, Miss Foulger was able to cuddle both her babies

WHAT IS LASER SURGERY FOR TWIN-TO-TWIN TRANSFUSION SYNDROME? 

In complicated cases of twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS), surgery can offer the best chance of having two healthy babies.

Laser ablation surgery delivers laser energy that seals off the blood vessels on the surface of the shared placenta that is allowing for blood flow to be shared.  

Because the vascular connections between the two fetuses are sealed, no further blood exchange between the foetuses takes place.

Most surgeries are performed under local anesthesia. A small incision (3mm) will be made and a trocar (small metal tube) will be inserted into the amniotic sac of the recipient twin.

An endoscope (medical telescope) will be passed into the uterus. The blood vessels, which are visible on the surface of the placenta, will be analysed, and all communicating vessels will be sealed off with laser energy. 

The excess amniotic fluid may be drained from the sac of the recipient twin.

Pregnancy outcomes after laser therapy for TTTS is as follows: approximately 85 per cent of patients will have at least one foetus survive, 50 per cent will have both survive, with a five per cent risk of a disorder of the nervous system such as cerebral palsy. 

NICE has said that this procedure is safe enough and works well enough for use in the NHS. 

Source: Fetal Health Foundation

'We read up on it and all you think is "I'm going to lose my babies".

'I broke down - I thought I'd lose one, if not both of them.'  

Around 300 twins die from the condition every year in the UK, while 6,000 babies are affected annually in the US. 

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