my sister is 6 months pregnant and in the hospital because her twins want to get out .?

Question

the doctor said that if she delivers they are not doing any thing to try to save the twins. can they do that?

Answer 1

I have a cousin that weighed in at 1 pound and he was born at 6 months. He is doing great. Twins typically come smaller at times and sometimes they can be bigger. I would demand them to or go to another hospital with a wonderful neonatal care and someone who is used to delivering early babies. The only ones I know of is UAMS it is in Arkansas (sorry don't know your location) Yes they can try to save them it is their job. They can give her a shot to try and help stop the contractions. Twins do sometimes come about 2-3 weeks earlier. A one child's term is 40 a two child term is closer to 37 weeks.

Answer 2

I'm sure the doctor did not maliciously say that the hospital staff would do nothing to try and save the babies. Doctors take an oath to do no harm and are legally bound to do anything they can -- within reason -- to save a person's life.

What the doctors probably said was that there might not be much they can do.

Modern medicine has made leaps and bounds in saving and providing care for premature babies. However, 6 months is awfully early and if your sister's water breaks, she will deliver. There is no getting around that. But there are steps that her physician can take to prolong her delivery -- she can be put on bedrest (which has probably already happened since she's in the hospital) and she can be given medicine that will hopefully stop her uterus from contracting.

At least she is in the hospital where they can constantly monitor her health and the health of the babies. I will keep your family in my prayers!

Answer 3

This is a blog I found on premature deliveries:

http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn10577

(Including comments in blog)
There are only anecdotal reports of babies surviving after fewer than 22 weeks in the womb. At that time, babies have just a 1% chance of survival with intensive care and are almost certain to suffer severe disability, the researchers say.

After 23 weeks’ gestation, a baby has just a 16% chance of surviving with intensive care, and a 64% risk of serious disability. At 24 weeks, survival is 44%, but by 25 weeks, the survival rate is 63% and risk of severe disability is 40%


First of I really feel you and your sister and your whole family. I recently I had twin boys and had several conditions which made my pregnancy high risk. I was a extremely stressful time for me and my whole family. I am not completely sure of the legalities involved in the States as I am from Australia but I would certainly look into them if I was you. It may vary from hospital to hospital to. I don't know but I'd check it out.

What I can tell you is that they have a very good chance nowadays of stopping labor even after contractions have started or even after waters have broken. If your sister can get to 25 weeks using these methods the babies have a good chance of survival particularly if their birth weight is above 800grams. I would definitely ask the doctors if they are taking all these precautions. You to can help by keeping your sisters stress levels to a absolute minimum. Stress can trigger labor.

The youngest surviving baby to date was born at 22 weeks but from about 25 weeks is where they start have a fighting chance. If you can reach 32 weeks they have a really good chance and from there on it's excellent.

The thing with premature babies is that they can often be born with extreme intellectual and physical disabilities, which is probably why they say they won't do anything.

However being a mother I understand that any chance is a chance and I would fight to the end to do what I could for my babies. My only advice to you is to find out everything you can from a medical and legal stand point on this subject and make sure it is all be used on your sister. Don't simply stop at a no. If they really can't do anything then at least you can live knowing that you did everything you could.

I am not religious but I do hope and pray for your family that your newest members arrive safely. I wish you all the best of luck. I'm crying as I write this because I know the pain and absolute enormous amount of worry you are all under.

My twins ended up holding out till 36 weeks. After a quite a few scares and complications. They were delivered by emergency c-section and came out healthy. Hopefully you will have the same results. Thinking of you all.

Answer 4

If the babies are born at 26 weeks (6 months), they are at the outer limits of what doctors can do to save them. A baby born 14 weeks premature will have problems with breathing, circulation, and are often left severely disabled - both mentally and physically. And it could be that there is a problem with the little ones even before they are born, so that they can't be helped.
This is a cruel and sad fact, and the doctors know this, and are trying to prepare your sister for the possibility.
If she and the doctors can get the babies through another month inside your sister the chances would be much better, but it doesn't sound like that is going to happen.
What can you do? For the little ones - nothing but pray, for your sister, be there for her, let her grieve with you, and comfort each other the best you can.
Good luck and God Bless in this very trying time.

Answer 5

I'm sorry this is happening...

Sadly, as the twins are less than 28 weeks old, there is very little if no chance they will survive. The mothers womb is the best place for them to be right now. I'll help you pray they stay put a few more weeks! (((Hugs)))

Hang in there, this is tough on your sister and all that are close to her (such as yourself). There has only ever been 1 child under 24 weeks that I know of to have survived and I'm sure that it happened to be in the right place at the right time and VERY lucky. Even 24 to 28 weeks has a very poor outcome and babies born that early usually have multiple health issues growing up and spend much time in hospital. The majority die in the first week. The added factor of the babies being twins, means that their chance of survival is likely to be further reduced if they deliver now. If they can make it past 28 weeks, there is a much greater chance that they will live than they have now.

Answer 6

Hi, i dont know for sure but i thought there is a drug that can be administered that holds off contractions. Ask about it. Ask your doc or another hospital if they can suggest anything.

6 months is around 24 weeks. I would think with all the equipment they have they could still save babies once they are delivered.

I really hope all goes well for your sister. Tell her try to relax as much as possible. Stress and worry can bring them out quicker.

Good Luck!

Answer 7

Six months is early, The doctor may have said that there isn't really much they can do to save the babies this early,

They will do what they can to save them.

If they did say that then I would suggest moving your sister to a different hospital. All you have to do is to request her to be taken to another hospital. She will be moved by ambulance.

The babies are going to have very little chance of surviving at six months. I am sure that that is what the doctor was saying.


I will keep you and your sister in my prayers, I know what she is going through. all my children were born preemies it is very hard.

Answer 8

in alberta they won't try to save the baby until they are 24 - 25 weeks. There is a lady in Britian that went to a different hospital and lied about her gestational age of her babies, she said she was 30 weeks pregnant when she was about 24.... they ended up saving her babies lives! That is funny because that is exactly what i would have done.. drove to anohter town and lied

Answer 9

Six months is pretty early to deliver. Twins are naturally born premature and "Stunted", only because space in the uterus is at a premium. They have to SHARE everything, each getting half of what a normal baby should get.



If there's no hope for the babies, they can't really do anything.

Answer 10

no!!! there was a baby that was born at 21 weeks and she survived. she is a few months old now and doing just fine! that is completely wrong! the doctors cant say that- even if the odds are against them surviving. good luck to you, your sister and her babies!