What Are MoMo Twins? US Woman Gives Birth To Pair Of Twins

In a rare occurrence, a woman in the United States had consecutive pregnancies that resulted in the birth of two pairs of identical twins. The mother of the MoMo twins learned that she was expecting twins six months after she gave birth to her first set of twins.

The US mother, Britney Alba gave birth to the first set of identical twins, Luka and Levi. Then, she gave birth to twins Lydia and Lynlee on October 25, 2022.

Due to the high risk of fetal complications, Alba was admitted to the University of Alabama at Birmingham's High-Risks Obstetrics Unit and stayed there for more than 50 days.

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What Are MoMo Twins?

• MoMo is an abbreviation of monoamniotic-monochorionic. MoMo twins share the same placenta, amniotic sac and fluid within the mother's uterus.
• While MoMo twins share the same placenta, they have two separate umbilical cords.
• They are formed when an embryo does not split until the formation of the amniotic sac at about 9 to 13 days after fertilisation.
• As per the University of Alabama at Birmingham, MoMo twins are some of the rarest types of twins and make up less than 1 percent of all births in the United States.
• MoMo twin pregnancies have a high risk of fetal complications.
• When Britney Alba was 25 weeks pregnant with her second set of twins, she was admitted to UAB's High-Risk Obstetrics Unit. As a result of complications, Alba stayed there for more than 50 days.
• The doctors stated they aimed to deliver the twins via caesarean section at 32 to 34 weeks considering the high risk of stillbirth associated with MoMo births.
• The second set of twins, Lydia and Lynlee Alba were born during the 32nd week and received care in the newborn unit of the hospital for months before they were discharged in December, 2022.
• Assistant professor in the UAB's Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Rachel Sinkey, said in a statement that MoMo twins pregnancies have a high risk of fetal complications.
• Sinkey added, "From beginning to end, Britney and the girls have defied all odds."