When identical twins were diagnosed with Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS) at just 17 weeks gestation, Dr. Kathy Bligard, maternal-fetal medicine specialist at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and the Fetal Care Center, stepped in to perform a delicate, lifesaving laser ablation surgery—a procedure offered nowhere else in the St. Louis region.
“We look with a camera at the placenta… and use a laser to seal off the vessels that communicate between the two babies,” explains Dr. Bligard.
TTTS can progress quickly, with life-threatening risks for both twins. Thanks to Dr. Bligard’s rapid intervention and the skill of the multidisciplinary team, the twins’ outlook shifted dramatically for the better—showcasing the power of advanced fetal surgery and coordinated maternal care.