Northwestern twins study

PumpkinAndThePeanut

Any momstobe of twins participating in the twin fetal growth study at Northwestern Memorial? We have our first 3D ultrasound this week at just about 13 weeks and i am really excited. Also a little anxious about what they'll look like in 3D this early!

PumpkinAndThePeanut

That should be moms to be... Stupid phone.

JennT813

What else is involved with the study? That seems early for a 3D but I got mine at 22 weeks and look at it 20+ times a day - I so love seeing their faces!

PumpkinAndThePeanut

JennT813:

What else is involved with the study? That seems early for a 3D but I got mine at 22 weeks and look at it 20+ times a day - I so love seeing their faces!

 

It mostly just involves monthly u/s to monitor both babies' growth throughout the pregnancy. It's a nationwide study that Northwestern is participating in, and the point of it is to create a more appropriate set of data about how twins should grow in utero, because the current standard is basically to extrapolate singleton data. Starting at 13 weeks, I will have an u/s every 4 weeks (it was partly normal 2-D and partly 3-D) with a licensed sonographer at Northwestern. She sends the results of my u/s to my OB so my OB can monitor what's going on too. My next u/s for the study is Dec. 6, I'll be 18 weeks. I can't wait to see what they look like now!!

They also asked me a lot of questions about my diet and nutrition, my support system, etc., and will track my weight and arm/hip/waist measurements throughout the pregnancy. After delivery, they want to make one home visit to weigh/measure the twins after birth. The only thing I wasn't quite sure about was that they ask you to donate your placentas and umbilical cords (for research) after birth, but when I asked about this, they only ask you to donate what you don't plan to bank or use. 

My husband and I have had a couple of losses and were very nervous about this pregnancy, so we thought it sounded well worth it for the extra u/s and reassurance!