Before they took their first breath, she fought for their lives
DOCTORS race against time as they perform The Medical City’s first fetoscopic laser photocoagulation to save a mother’s identical twins’ lives.
PHOTOGRAPH courtesy of the medical city
A mother’s love begins long before a child is born. At 24 weeks pregnant, a mother carrying identical twins faced a heartbreaking reality when she was diagnosed with Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS), a rare and life-threatening condition affecting babies who share a placenta. One twin was receiving too little blood and nutrients, while the other was receiving too much, placing both lives at risk.
oo much, placing both lives at risk. Despite the fear and uncertainty, she made a courageous choice: to undergo a delicate fetal procedure to give her babies a fighting chance.
Referred to The Medical City (TMC), the mother underwent fetoscopic laser photocoagulation surgery, a minimally invasive procedure that seals abnormal blood vessel connections in the placenta and helps restore balanced blood flow between the twins.
“You’re perfectly healthy as a mother, yet you willingly go through surgery because your babies need it,” shared Dr. Ma. Cresilda Paz Salamilao-Sabularce, TMC’s lead fetal surgeon.
The procedure marked the first fetoscopic laser photocoagulation surgery performed at The Medical City, expanding access to advanced fetal care for Filipino families facing high-risk pregnancies.
“For years, families had very limited access to this type of intervention locally,” said Dr. Zarinah Gonzaga, Director of TMC’s Institute for Women’s Health. “This milestone reflects our commitment to giving mothers and their babies access to specialized care closer to home.”
The procedure was successfully completed through the collaboration of TMC’s multidisciplinary team of maternal-fetal medicine specialists, anesthesiologists, nurses, and clinical staff.
As part of The Medical City’s commitment to accessible healthcare, the procedure was extended to the mother, an indigent patient, ensuring that financial limitations would not stand in the way of life-saving care.
Today, the mother continue to be closely monitored as the pregnancy progresses, a journey carried forward by medical expertise, compassion, and a mother’s unmatched love. Read the full story at tmcph.co/TTTS.