[asingh152]

Hi, I am currently carrying 9 weeks pregnancy, with twins. I always wanted one baby and still looking for twin reduction to singleton. We are married since last 5 yrs and due to complication I was not able to conceive.
We have done lot of studies regarding reduction procedure over the internet but still not sure what to do. Keeping financial aspects in my mind, I want to go for singleton but if I think I have conceived first time after 5 yrs, I don't want to take risk as reduction might end up losing both.
Please suggest.

[J_9]

Are you asking how to selectively abort one of these babies?

[Fr_Chuck]

If both are healthy there is no real way to pick, your doctor would help choose. Yes there is a risk to other during this.

[JakPen]

Yea, there is a small risk to the other, but it outweighs the risk that comes with twins; plus the perinatologist runs chromosomal testing to determine which is stronger and more viable when selecting which one
Everyone has this ethical stance on it, like three to one is OK, but two to one is like robbing your child of a soul mate~
Overall, all health outcomes are improved to singleton
There might have been a 10% chance of losing the whole pregnancy 20 yrs ago, but today, it's at about 3%
Plus, you get the gain of reduced risk of miscarriage from around 8% chance with twins down to 4% chance with singleton at the 11-13 week point when reduction is done
Not to mention, even if live birth rates for twins have improved, prematurity still remains just as much a risk and with prematurity you increase the risk of developmental risks including neurological and mental handicaps
I know there are a lot of great outcomes for women who birth twins, but what a lot of the judgmental "ethics" screamers overlook is that the statistics prove the risk is there and any mother has every right in full confidence that her judgement is ethical to improve those numbers at least for the sake of one

Here are a couple of links with more info:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/fertility/interviews/katz.html
http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/09/03/fertility.treatment.reduction/index.html

[J_9]

yea, there is a small risk to the other, but it outweighs the risk that comes with twins; plus the perinatologist runs chromosomal testing to determine which is stronger and more viable when selecting which one
Everyone has this ethical stance on it, like three to one is OK, but two to one is like robbing your child of a soul mate~
Overall, all health outcomes are improved to singleton
There might have been a 10% chance of losing the whole pregnancy 20 yrs ago, but today, it's at about 3%
Plus, you get the gain of reduced risk of miscarriage from around 8% chance with twins down to 4% chance with singleton at the 11-13 week point when reduction is done
Not to mention, even if live birth rates for twins have improved, prematurity still remains just as much a risk and with prematurity you increase the risk of developmental risks including neurological and mental handicaps
I know there are a lot of great outcomes for women who birth twins, but what a lot of the judgmental "ethics" screamers overlook is that the statistics prove the risk is there and any mother has every right in full confidence that her judgement is ethical to improve those numbers at least for the sake of one

Please fill us in on your medical background.