The TAPS Twins.
This is an iconic photo when it comes to TAPS. A pale, small donor twin, and a red, puffy recipient twin. It’s a top image in most search engines and it represents exactly what TAPS can do.
Their story is a little remarkable, and sharing it with you is one of the reasons this site was built.
Emilie (donor) and Mathilde (recipient) were born in the Netherlands in 2013.
The beginning
Their mother’s pregnancy was pretty standard when it comes to complications and worries, but at 24 weeks, when they were diagnosed with stage 1 TTTS an incredibly forward-thinking doctor at their local hospital bypassed procedure and referred their mother to the LUMC in Leiden.
From here her monitoring included MCA dopplers, and whilst the TTTS stabilized, she was later diagnosed with TAPS. This was regularly monitored by the team at the LUMC.
At 31 weeks, they discovered a shadow on the brain of Mathilde and decided to deliver in case this was a sign of a brain bleed. They were born at 31+1 and later diagnosed to have stage 3 TAPS. They had transfusions, exchanges, infections, and all the things that go with prematurity – but on Christmas Eve they were moved to their local hospital’s NICU, and 5& 6 weeks later, they came home.
And now …
They’re now happy, healthy kids who enjoy Disney and dinosaurs, love going to school, and their parents are thankful that a combination of forward-thinking and incredible research saved their lives. They don’t know the long term outcomes TAPS had, but their family actively participates in long terms studies and regular medical checkups.
Mathilde (left) and Emilie (right) are the results of careful monitoring, research, and intervention. This is what fuels their mother’s passion to talk about TAPS so that others can see their story, and get the same level of care.
Their story is shared and shared often in the hope that others will see the outcome of regular monitoring and appropriate care. They were not different, or special, or singled out. They just had a team of professionals who knew the latest research and followed appropriate care guidelines that everyone should be entitled to.
We share their story to show that TAPS monitoring is important, that it can be treated and there can be positive outcomes when this is done.
Emilie and Mathilde’s story is just one of many TAPS stories out there. Theirs is one of the happy ones – and it’s all down to getting the right care and treatment.
TAPS is Real
