On Mother’s Day, a heartwarming and extraordinary moment unfolded in Ohio when identical twin girls were born holding hands. Sarah Thistlewaite, their mother, received a truly special gift as her daughters, Jenna and Jillian, belong to the rare category of monoamniotic or “mono mono” identical twins, meaning they shared an amniotic sac and were in constant contact during pregnancy.
This unique condition required Thistlewaite to remain on bed rest for weeks at Akron General Medical Center in Akron, Ohio. The twins needed continuous monitoring for nearly two months because mono mono twins can easily become entangled in each other’s umbilical cords.
Thistlewaite shared her experience, saying, “It’s really mentally challenging. It’s a very tough experience to go through.” With a 15-month-old son at home, she had to stay in the hospital for nearly two months so doctors could carefully monitor the babies. They used heart rate monitors to watch for any signs of heart deceleration or abnormalities, conducting ultrasounds every other week.
Fortunately, at 33 weeks, Thistlewaite and her husband Bill welcomed their healthy daughters into the world. Doctors had planned a Caesarean section to avoid entanglement risks if the twins grew too large. As the girls were born, doctors held them up over a sheet so that Thistlewaite and her husband could see them, and to their astonishment, the newborns were holding hands. Thistlewaite recalled, “I didn’t think they would come out and instantly hold hands. It was overwhelming. I can’t even put it into words. There wasn’t a dry eye in the whole OR.”
Jenna was born at 4 pounds, 2 ounces, with Jillian following less than a minute later at 3 pounds, 13 ounces. The twins spent nearly a month in the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit, gaining weight and getting stronger. Finally, at nearly 6 pounds, they were cleared to be released from the hospital and headed home with their parents and their 15-month-old brother, Jaxon.
Their parents had been dividing their time between home and the hospital, but now they were all under the same roof, a relief for Sarah Thistlewaite. She expressed her gratitude for having everyone together and for the twins’ healthy progress despite their premature birth.
The twins’ rare birth condition, monoamniotic or “mono mono,” occurs in about one of every 10,000 pregnancies. Thistlewaite has already noticed a unique bond between the twins, as they gravitate toward each other when placed close. Now that they are home, their family is cherishing this extraordinary moment and looking forward to the joys and challenges of raising two healthy and happy little girls. Thistlewaite’s biggest worry now? Telling the twins apart, a problem she plans to solve with pink nail polish for one and purple for the other.
