My twins were born 22 DAYS apart – only one survived: the pain of the mother, 22, whose waters broke before the abortion time limit
A new mum whose twins were astonishingly delivered three weeks apart – and in different hospitals – has opened up about her heartbreak after only one survived.
Kayleigh Doyle, from Manchester, was just 22 and a half weeks pregnant when her waters unexpectedly broke.
The 22-year-old spent five days under close supervision at the Royal Oldham Hospital before giving birth naturally.
However, her son Arlo did not survive.
Doctors told Miss Doyle that her second set of twins was expected ‘in the next few hours’ but were stunned when her contractions stopped. They warned that he would probably die.
Kayleigh Doyle, from Manchester, was just 22 and a half weeks pregnant when her waters unexpectedly broke. The 22-year-old spent five days under close supervision at the Royal Oldham Hospital before giving birth naturally. Pictured is Mrs Doyle with her son Astro
Doctors told Miss Doyle that her second twin, Astro, was due ‘in the next few hours’ but were stunned when her contractions stopped. They warned that he would probably die. In the photo, Astro is now two years old
Incredibly, Astro was delivered by caesarean section at nearby St Mary’s Hospital 22 days after giving birth to Arlo and survived against all odds. It weighed 2 pounds, slightly less than a 1kg bag of sugar
After five days of no movement, Miss Doyle was sent home.
Incredibly, Astro was delivered by caesarean section at nearby St Mary’s Hospital 22 days after giving birth to Arlo and survived against all odds. It weighed 2 pounds, slightly less than a 1kg bag of sugar.
Miss Doyle, whose ordeal took place in 2021, now believes she claims the record for the longest time apart for the birth of twins in England.
She said: ‘After the trauma of having my first baby, I was stunned when they said I could go home.
‘To this day I still can’t find a woman in Britain who can beat 22 days.
‘I was assigned a doctor from another hospital and we had daily check-ups between the two deliveries.
“Every day that passed he said he really couldn’t believe it.”
Miss Doyle added: ‘When Astro arrived I couldn’t believe he had survived all this time.’
Miss Doyle said she had experienced no complications until she went into labor on March 15.
“I was aware of all the risks of having twins,” she added. ‘I even paid for private GP appointments because I was so afraid of complications.
‘When I reached 22 and a half weeks I was literally in bed and in the worst pain of my entire life.
‘I wasn’t sure what was going on, so I went to the downstairs toilet, and my water broke.’
After giving birth to Arlo, who weighed only 0.5 kg, Doctors told Miss Doyle that a blood clot in his placenta was the likely cause.
Such blockages can block blood flow to a fetus.
According to baby loss charity Tommy’s, the risk of premature birth increases from seven to 57 percent in pregnancies involving more than one fetus.
The survival rate after 22 weeks – two weeks before the abortion deadline – is only 10 percent. Rates exceed 60 percent after 24 weeks.
The NHS says around one in eight pregnancies end in miscarriage, which is medically defined as the loss of pregnancy during the first 24 weeks.
Other estimates put this figure higher because many women in the very early stages of pregnancy may not realize they are pregnant if a miscarriage occurs.
Stillbirth – when a baby is born dead after six months in the womb – occurs in around one in 200 births in England.
Of Arlo, who was born on March 20, Miss Doyle said: ‘He looked like a normal baby.
“They sat me down after I gave birth and told me they didn’t expect the ‘twin’ to survive and that he would probably be born within a few hours.”
If the contractions stop after the first birth, hormones are often added to an IV under medical supervision to restart them.
However, case reports have shown that in rare cases, doctors allow the second fetus to continue growing in the uterus, if the first delivery is extremely premature.
It is recommended that women rest for the rest of their pregnancy.
On April 11, doctors discovered she had suffered a placental abruption – a rare, serious complication in which the placenta separates from the uterine lining. They recommended delivering Astro (photo) via caesarean section
Two weeks later, Miss Doyle and Astro, now two, were discharged and she held a funeral for Arlo. Since the ordeal, she has channeled her grief into supporting others and has now trained as a birth intensive care unit (NICU) volunteer
By March 25, Astro had still not arrived and the medics discharged Miss Doyle.
She added: ‘I started making appointments with another doctor at St Mary’s Hospital and he couldn’t believe how long the gap was starting to last.
“I think we all just went into survival mode.
‘But I still found it very triggering when one of my doctors asked me where ‘twin’ is.
‘We had bought everything for the babies twice: two cots, a stroller with two seats. It was hard to see the twin moms I followed on TikTok recording all their milestones.”
Then on April 11, doctors discovered she had suffered a placental abruption – a rare, serious complication in which the placenta separates from the uterine lining.
They recommended delivering Astro via caesarean section.
He was born with a hole in his heart and vision problems.
Two weeks later, Miss Doyle and Astro, now two, were discharged and she held a funeral for Arlo.
Since the ordeal, she has channeled her grief into supporting others and has now trained as a birth intensive care unit (NICU) volunteer.
Miss Doyle said: ‘I heard that a NICU charity was looking for volunteers in Manchester – people who wanted to do sleepovers and play sessions, and people who looked after the crib of premature babies.
Vicky Green (pictured), from Manchester, is currently said to hold the record for the longest time apart for the birth of twins in England. She first gave birth to Presley (pictured right), who weighed just 1lb 8oz, when she was 26 weeks pregnant, and then Paisley (pictured left) 12 days later.
‘I did a year of training and that requires having a premature baby.
“I know what it’s like to feel about it in the dark, especially with the gap between the two babies.
‘But honestly, I can’t think of anything more fun. There is light at the end of the tunnel.’
Vicky Green, from Manchester, is said to currently hold the record for the longest time apart for the birth of twins in England.
In 2018 she has gave birth first to Presley, who weighed just 1lb 8oz, when she was just 26 weeks pregnant.
After her labor stopped, she delivered Paisley again by caesarean section at St Mary’s Hospital 12 days later. She weighed 2lbs 8oz.
The twins remained in the hospital while they got stronger and were discharged home after five months.
The world record – twins born 90 days apart – was set in 1996 in Baltimore, USA.