Advanced technology rescues fetus in uncommon twin-pregnancy condition

In a groundbreaking medical breakthrough, local specialists at the Shanghai International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital’s Fengxian branch successfully treated a rare and life-threatening condition affecting a pregnant woman. The woman was diagnosed with twin reversed arterial perfusion sequence, also known as acardiac twinning, in which one fetus develops without a heart.

This condition, occurring in only 1 percent of identical twin pregnancies, poses a significant risk to the healthy fetus, known as the “pump twin,” whose heart must supply blood to the abnormal mass of tissue. Without intervention, the pump twin faces a 50 to 70 percent chance of mortality.

Dr. Wang Yanlin, a prenatal diagnostic expert, explained that the treatment involved radiofrequency ablation, a procedure that stops blood flow to the acardiac tumor using a needle under real-time ultrasound guidance. This innovative therapy can significantly increase the survival rate of the healthy fetus.

Despite the challenges posed by the early stage of the pregnancy, the procedure was successful, and follow-up examinations indicated the normal fetus was growing well. The doctors expect the woman to deliver in a month’s time, thanks to the timely intervention.

Since opening in September 2022, the hospital’s Fengxian branch has performed over 1,100 intrauterine diagnoses and treatments, including delivering nearly 200 pairs of twins. This success highlights the hospital’s commitment to providing advanced medical care and saving patients from the need to travel to larger hospitals for treatment.