Kopa Mwaba, Siame Lukundo, Miyoba Michelo Haluuma, Sichila Hillary, Kaluba Pauline, Hamooya Benson Malambo, Mukubesa Collins, Phiri Walaza, Mulamfu Sydney, Kapoma Chanda, Masenga Sepiso Kenias
Livingstone University Teaching Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Livingstone, Zambia.
Mulungushi University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Human Anatomy, Livingstone, Zambia.
Pan Afr Med J. 2025 Feb 12;50:51. doi: 10.11604/pamj.2025.50.51.46382. eCollection 2025.
Conjoined twins are a rare occurrence, affecting approximately 1.47 per 100,000 live births as a result of the incomplete splitting of the embryo in monochorionic monoamniotic pregnancies, after 13-14 days post-fertilization. Early prenatal diagnosis through ultrasound between 11 and 14 weeks is crucial for counseling and management decisions, including pregnancy termination or continuation with the support of a multidisciplinary team. We report a case of a 17-year-old primigravida referred in the third trimester with an ultrasound diagnosis of parapagus dicephalus dipus tribrachius conjoined twins. Delivery was by elective cesarean section, and the twins shared a single heart with three ventricles, two atria, a large atrial septal defect, and an incompetent atrioventricular valve. They died of sepsis on day 20 post-delivery. In our setting, anomaly scans during the second trimester are rarely or never performed, highlighting the need for routine early anomaly scans to enable timely intervention and improve outcomes in similar cases.
联体双胎是一种罕见的情况,由于单绒毛膜单羊膜囊妊娠的胚胎在受精后13 - 14天未完全分裂,每10万例活产中约有1.47例受影响。在孕11至14周通过超声进行早期产前诊断对于咨询和管理决策至关重要,包括在多学科团队的支持下决定终止妊娠或继续妊娠。我们报告一例17岁初产妇,在孕晚期转诊,超声诊断为双头双足三臂联体双胎。通过择期剖宫产分娩,这对双胞胎共用一个心脏,有三个心室、两个心房、一个大型房间隔缺损和一个功能不全的房室瓣。她们在出生后第20天死于败血症。在我们的地区,很少或从未在孕中期进行异常扫描,这凸显了进行常规早期异常扫描以实现及时干预并改善类似病例结局的必要性。