“Everything went perfectly:” How Essentia Health defied the odds and delivered a unique set of twins

In September 2023, Duluth’s Taylor Whitaker and her fiancé Tyler Larson found out their blended family of two boys and a girl was going to be growing. That’s because Whitaker was expecting.

“We were so excited and couldn’t wait to find out if our next baby was going to be a girl,” said Whitaker.

The couple scheduled an ultrasound for October. It revealed a big surprise.

“The ultrasound tech said we were having Twins,” Whitaker explained.

On Nov. 14, Whitaker’s birthday, the duo learned they were expecting not one, but two girls.

“We really couldn’t believe that we got our wish to have a girl and ended up with two,” said Whitaker. “Twins are in our bloodline, so it shouldn’t have been a total surprise. Even though we were both excited, it did catch us off-guard.”

That excitement quickly turned into fear and uncertainty.

“We were immediately informed that they were monoamniotic twins,” said Whitaker. “Dr. Vani Movva was very straightforward in explaining the risks, complications and high mortality rates associated with this type of pregnancy. It was really overwhelming to hear, but we were happy to have all the necessary information from the get-go.” 

Monoamniotic twins are a rare occurrence happening in just 1 of every 10,000 pregnancies. This type of pregnancy comes with significant risks for both mom and the babies. Monoamniotic twins share the same amniotic sack and run a high risk of umbilical cord entanglement, which can be fatal to the babies.

Fortunately, Dr. Haley Meyer, Whitaker’s OB/GYN of five years at Essentia, is experienced with this condition, having worked with these types of pregnancies before.

“These pregnancies require an ‘all hands on deck’ approach because the patients need frequent monitoring essentially from the first trimester onward,” said Dr. Meyer. “Thankfully, we have a great team between maternal-fetal medicine, my OB colleagues and all the staff on labor and delivery who contribute to patient care.”

For the family, it became a waiting game. Regular appointments to ensure the twins were progressing and no issues were occurring became normal for Whitaker.

It was a long and stressful few months, but everything went smoothly. At 24 weeks pregnant, Whitaker checked into the birthplace at Essentia Health-St. Mary’s Medical Center. For the next eight weeks, she had a team of doctors, nurses and other caretakers guiding her through the rest of her pregnancy.

“Everyone did such a great job taking care of me,” said Whitaker. “I loved how they cared for me and listened to all my questions and concerns and made sure my whole experience was as enjoyable as it could be.”

Confined to a hospital room, Whitaker said she was grateful for the new St. Mary’s Medical Center and all the amenities it has to offer expectant mothers.

“The new hospital is so amazing,” said Whitaker. “My room was not only large, but it also had beautiful views with plenty of space for my kids and their toys. It felt like a little daycare.”

It wasn’t just the space that made her lengthy stay special – it was the staff as well.

“My kids loved everyone that was taking care of me,” said Whitaker. “They would play with the kids and hang out with them and let them help take my vitals. They included them in so much that I had to buy my son a play doctor’s kit because the experience inspired him to want to be a doctor who ‘takes care of mommas’ when he grows up.”

On April 3, at 32 weeks pregnant, Whitaker was ready to give birth. She was scheduled for a C-section, the preferred way to deliver monoamniotic twins as it reduces the risk of complications. Whitaker, who had only delivered vaginally with her previous children, said a C-section was one of her biggest fears.

“As they were preparing me for the delivery, I had a mental breakdown. Dr. Meyer held my hand and told me I was strong and amazing and everything was going to be OK,” said Whitaker. “She was so calming and reassuring and made it the most amazing experience I could have imagined.”

After about 45 minutes, Nina and Nora entered the world. Two healthy babies defying the odds, born without major complications.

“It was the best day of my life,” explained Whitaker. “Everything went perfectly.”

While the hard part was over, the twins had to spend the next eight weeks in the NICU.

“The NICU nurses were so amazing,” said Whitaker. “I felt like I was leaving my kids with family while they were there. Especially when some of the birthplace nurses came to the NICU just to check in on the twins.”

Whitaker spent a few more days in the hospital to recover from the C-section, while the twins underwent routine monitoring in the NICU.

“My recovery was great and I healed perfectly,” said Whitaker. “I was back to normal within a week and off my pain medicine shortly after that.”

The next several weeks were spent making trips to and from St. Mary’s to be with Nina and Nora. Fortunately, because they progressed so well, they were discharged four weeks earlier than expected.

“The girls were feisty, fun and ready to meet their family from the moment they were born,” said Dr. Meyer. “We were so glad to play a role in a smooth and safe delivery for mom and her babies.”

Fast-forward a few months and the twins are happy, healthy and thriving.

“Tyler and I both kind of picked one, so to speak,” said Whitaker. “I’m really into girly stuff like gymnastics and pink things and he’s really into skateboarding and snowboarding. So, we’re excited to see if they pick up on our interests. Either way, we can’t wait to see their personalities grow and watch them become their own people.”