Ignored the “1 in 500 million” chance of a mother with a heart-shaped uterus giving birth to twins.
Karen Troy, 25, was shocked to learn she was pregnant with twins in March 2021 and had a bicornuate uterus (i.e. heart-shaped).
A mother of three, she didn’t know she had an irregularly shaped uterus.
The odds of getting pregnant with heart-shaped twins is 1 in 500 million.
Karen had a smooth pregnancy until she developed pre-eclampsia at 34 weeks and had to be rushed for a C-section when her blood pressure rose.
Her twins Ryan and Raelynn, born September 5, 2021, weighing 5 pounds 10 ounces and 5 pounds 1 ounces, spent 27 days at Yumas Memorial Medical Center in Massachusetts, USA before heading home. .
Karen, a stay-at-home mom from Northborough, Massachusetts, USA, said:
“I just wanted to make sure they were okay.
“At first I couldn’t believe my uterus was heart-shaped, so I had another scan done to see if it was true.
“It was a high-risk pregnancy and was closely monitored.
“I was moved when I first saw it because it was so small.
“I was so happy, but I was scared to have two little babies.
“We were so excited when we brought them home.”
Karen and her husband Shaunan, 24, who owns a junk-removal company, were thrilled to learn it was scheduled for January 2021.
But the couple got more than they bargained for when a 12-week scan revealed they were twins.
Karen was also said to have a heart-shaped uterus, which only 4 in 1,000 women have.
“Having a heart-shaped uterus and being pregnant with twins is extremely rare,” Karen said.
“I remember being confused by the scan.
“I just kept asking, ‘Are they okay?'”
Karen decides to do another scan to double check that the first sonographer was right.
“I have a heart-shaped uterus and was expecting twins, so I was told my pregnancy was very high risk,” she said.
Karen was closely monitored and doctors discovered she had pre-eclampsia, a condition that causes high blood pressure, and at 34 weeks, an emergency caesarean section had to be performed.
Ryan was born on September 5, 2021 weighing 5 lbs 10 oz at 9:44 a.m. followed by Raelynn at 9:46 a.m. weighing 5 lbs 1 oz.
“The first 24 hours were really tough,” Karen said.
“I had to stay in the machine to stop the seizures from pre-eclampsia.
“The twins had to stay in the NICU and learn to feed and breathe steadily.
“Ryan’s heart rate kept going up and down.”
Karen was able to go home after four days and had to keep the twins hospitalized until they were ready to go home after 27 days.
“It was depressing to be home without them,” she said.
“I was so excited to finally bring them home. Everything was going well for them.”
The twins are now 16 months old and are growing well apart from their motor deficits.
“Both are so different,” Karen said.
“Raylin is a hurricane.
“She loves to pick up anything and put it in her mouth.
“Ryan will be more observant and quieter.
“In my first pregnancy, the uterus wasn’t always obvious on scans, so we didn’t find it.
“It’s really hard to conceive twins with heart-shaped uteruses.
“I’m glad they are healthy and doing well.”
