update on the "why us"

Why did this happen to us?  Why did baby A develope to 18 week and baby B only 16?

From the initial analysis on Baby B they found a velamentous cord insertion and possibly a tightly hyper-spiraled cord (twisted cord, baby B may have done this to himself).  Both babies were perfectly developed other than Baby B's cord. 

Normally, the cord inserts into the middle of the placenta. In velamentous cord insertion, the umbilical cordWharton's jelly and hence are vulnerable to rupture. Rupture is especially likely if the vessels are near the cervix, in which case they may rupture in early labor (causing a stillbirth).

There is only a 1% chance for singletons,  but 15% of monochorionic twins will have this.  Monochorionic twins share a placenta, which ours did.

Basically, Baby B's cord was not properly attached and when he passed it interfered with the balance of blood flow to the placenta and baby A left us too. 

We are still waiting on other testing, but my Doctor and Nurses feel this is the why, we have been asking ourselves.  They feel that this type of thing is a fluke and we should not have to be worried about this happening again.  Also, there is some blood work and the chromosome testing that we are still waiting on.  The chromosome testing will take at least a month to get back.

It is so easy to look back and see the signs that were in my face.  I had felt both babies move, I know I did.  I think I only felt Baby B for a few days, then I began to complain to Chris that I didn't feel him anymore. I  know I felt Baby A for another week or so.  Several days before the ultrasounds a couple of times I mentioned to Chris I was worried something was wrong.  Then I began to have some apprehension about the ultrasound, even the night before my friend had to remind me about the ultrasound.  I must have said something or made a face and she asked what was going on and my response was "this is the big ultrasound where they find a lot of things that could be wrong with the babies".  But then we laughed and got excited about finding out the sexes of the babies.  Lastly, once the contractions started I realized how my belly used to be tight and in the past week it had begun to become more soft.  This was another really hard moment in the hospital.

We are doing our best to hold our heads up, and once again thank you to everyone for all the kind words.  Our journey isn't over yet...i keep repeating this to myself.