Ask a doctor on the topic of Gynecology

Pregnant with triplets.

January 25, 2022 | 40,00 EUR | answered by MD Felix Aaslepp

Good evening,
my wife and I are expecting triplets after artificial insemination (ICSI).

She is 39 years old and in the 12th week of pregnancy.

The reason for the ICSI was that I had too few sperm. We had two fertilized eggs implanted, which resulted in twins. The twins each have their own yolk sac and egg shell.

My wife and I have discussed wanting to have the children checked to make sure everything is okay. We were informed that a blood test for genetic defects, such as Trisomy, would not be possible as it would not be possible to determine which child would be affected. However, would it be possible to still have the test done in order to rule out such defects in general?

How accurate would an ultrasound examination, such as a nuchal translucency measurement, be for triplets? Are there any other options?

What is the risk of a genetic defect in triplets and considering my wife's age?

Is it necessary to be concerned in general about a triplet pregnancy?

Best regards

MD Felix Aaslepp

Hello!
Of course, a corresponding blood test would still be possible. With this, one could exclude a trisomy (e.g. 21) for all 3 children with a high probability. However, if the blood test shows abnormalities, it is not possible to draw conclusions about which child it is.... or possibly one or more. The informative value of a "good" result is therefore similarly high as with a single child.
However, it is important to think in advance about what to do if the result is abnormal. The room for maneuver is quite small...
Best regards and good luck for the birth!