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Expert Q&A

	By David L. Fay, M.D. Family Physician Associate Director, Waukesha Family Practice Residency Program

I found out two weeks ago that I am pregnant with twins. I have heard so many stories of losing one twin that I worry myself sick constantly! Is there ever a point in the pregnancy when this danger goes away or is lessened? I am currently 14 weeks.

The vast majority of pregnancy losses occur before the end of the first trimester – about 12 to 13 weeks gestation. This includes the loss of one twin. There is very little data available about the loss of a single twin, but one study showed the risk to be as high as 36 percent before 12 weeks gestation; it did not report on losses after that time.

There is also something called Vanishing Twin Syndrome. This is something first described in 1945 and probably recognized more now because of the extensive, early use of ultrasound in pregnancy. Although there are few scientific reports, those available describe anywhere from 15 to 80 percent of pregnancies which are "twin" at or before 8 weeks which result in a single infant being born.

At 14 weeks gestation, the likelihood of losing one of a set of twins before term is fairly low.

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