Nguyen Thi Lien, from Bac Ninh Province, conceived twins through IVF. Her pregnancy was initially stable, but at 20 weeks she was hospitalised at Hanoi Obstetrics Hospital after her membranes ruptured completely, a life threatening condition for both mother and babies.
“There is no mother who would not fear losing her child,” Lien said. “But I could still feel both heartbeats, and that gave me and my family strength.”
At 25 weeks, doctors were forced to deliver the first baby after one twin had descended very low, with a leg nearly protruding from the uterus. The baby girl weighed about 650 grams at birth.
Lien’s husband, Ngo Trung Kien, said the following four months were filled with anxiety as their daughter was treated at the National Children’s Hospital under intensive monitoring.
“Doctors said her gestational age was extremely low and survival would require a great deal of luck. Thanks to their dedicated care, she has shown significant improvement,” he said.
The husband could not hold back tears recalling his wife's turbulent pregnancy (Photo: Thuong Huyen).
Meanwhile, the second twin remained in the womb under strict medical supervision.
Mai Trong Hung, director of Hanoi Obstetrics Hospital, said the mother’s condition was monitored closely, with doctors preparing for worst case scenarios while working to prolong the pregnancy as long as possible.
On April 15, the second baby, a boy, was delivered at 38 weeks, weighing 2.4kg, with stable vital signs. His birth brought relief and joy to both family and medical staff.
“Being able to hold my baby feels like a blessing. All the hardship has faded,” Lien said. “I just hope all three of us recover soon and that we can bring our daughter home.”
Nguyen Thi Lien and her husband (Photo: Hospital provided).
According to Hung, this is the first time in Vietnam that doctors have successfully prolonged a twin pregnancy for 13 weeks after one baby was delivered prematurely.
Doctors at the Hanoi Obstetrics Hospital monitor Lien's case closely (Photo: Hospital provided).
“Normally, the chances of continuing such a pregnancy are extremely low. This success reflects coordinated efforts across multiple specialties and hospitals, both in Vietnam and internationally, including Sweden and Italy, applying flexible treatment protocols and advanced medical techniques,” he said.
The younger brother is born healthy at 38 weeks on April 15 (Photo: Thuong Huyen).
The case is expected to provide a valuable reference for managing similar high risk twin pregnancies worldwide, particularly where one baby is born prematurely while the other remains in utero.
