Family to celebrate first Christmas with miracle twins who had operation in womb

A family from Bromsgrove will celebrate their first Christmas with their miracle twins who had an operation while they were still in the womb.

Mum Kirsty Garner was 18 weeks pregnant with her babies Cassie and Emily when medics discovered she had a rare condition.

Twin transfusion syndrome, which only occurs in identical twins, leads to uneven blood flow to the babies, and was putting huge strain on Emily’s heart. It was also leaving Cassie with an insufficient blood supply.

At risk of a cardiac arrest at any time, the only way to save the babies was for doctors at Birmingham Women’s Hospital to perform surgery while they were still in the womb.

“It was a shock in itself to find out we were having twins,” recalls Kirsty.

Two weeks later Kirsty, accompanied by husband Ben, was taken for hour-long laser surgery led by Professor Mark Kilby.

The 32-year-old lay conscious while surgeons used a laser to seal off excess blood vessels in the placenta, which were causing the defective blood flow.

“It was very emotional beforehand, and I was very scared,” she says. “But during the operation I was in a dull, sleepy state. They put a camera and a laser into my womb, and sealed off the blood vessels to stop them sharing. My most vivid memory is the smell – like burned bacon.”

Despite the surgery’s success, Kirsty and Ben were warned that Emily’s heart had been under huge strain, and she could still go into cardiac arrest.

“We were told that she might not last the week,” says Kirsty, a full-time mum of four daughters. “They were preparing us for the worst.

“The pregnancy was a rollercoaster of emotions. I wouldn’t wish that time on anyone."

Thankfully, after 32 weeks and five days, Cassie and Emily were born on May 5 via C-section at Worcester Hospital, where they spent six weeks on the neonatal unit before going home.