A LIFE-SAVING DISCOVERY: A MOTHER’S JOURNEY THROUGH HIGH-RISK PREGNANCY
Susana Zavala
“It was a tough journey, but an amazing experience,” says Susana. “Dr. Simon and the NICU team were the best.
When Susana Zavala walked into the PIH Health Perinatal Center for a routine twin obstetric scan, she never expected life-changing news. Fresh from a Disney cruise with her family, she was excited to get an update on her soon-to-be-born twins.
At her first scan weeks earlier, one of the twins had an increased nuchal translucency (NT), a measurement of fluid at the back of a baby’s neck. A thickened NT may indicate a genetic disorder, among other things, but follow-up testing ruled that out. This time, though, the doctor diagnosed her with Stage 1 twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS). TTTS is a rare but serious condition that affects identical twins who share a placenta. Blood flow between the twins becomes unbalanced, causing one baby to receive too much blood while the other receives too little. If left untreated, it can lead to severe complications, including heart failure, preterm birth, or loss of one or both babies.
“Our team carefully monitors high-risk pregnancies because conditions like TTTS can escalate rapidly,” says Rebecca Simon-Quigley MD, a PIH Health maternal-fetal specialist. “In just five days, Susana’s case progressed from Stage 1 to Stage 3. At that point, immediate intervention was necessary to give both babies the best chance of survival.” Susana was referred to a fetal surgeon for a laser ablation procedure. The surgery uses a laser to seal off abnormal blood vessel connections between the twins, helping to rebalance blood flow and prevent further complications. After the surgery, she returned to PIH Health Whittier Hospital, where she delivered her twins at 31 weeks on October 30, 2024. “Pregnancies like Susana’s demonstrate why specialized perinatal care is so important,” adds Dr. Simon. “By detecting TTTS early, monitoring it closely, and acting quickly, we were able to help ensure the best outcome for her and her babies.” After a 32-day neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) stay, twins Ava Rae and Gianna Bella were able to go home. “It was a tough journey, but an amazing experience,” says Susana. “Dr. Simon and the NICU team were the best.”
