Fetus Papyraceous- A Rare complication of Twin Pregnancy- A Case Report

Abstract

Fetus papyraceous is defined as a compressed fetus-mummified, parchment like remains of a dead twin that is retained in-utero after intrauterine death in the second trimester. It may be completely innocuous or may cause complications during labour and delivery. We report a rare case of fetus paryraceous in a 30yrs primigravida at 37 weeks of gestation where an innocuous fetus papyraceous was discovered at the time of caesarean.. Fetus papyraceous occurs when one twin dies later in pregnancy, second trimester or later, but the pregnancy continues. Causative factors for fetus papyraceous include fetal abnormalities (genetic or chromosomal), velamentous or marginal insertion of cord into the placenta, twin-twin transfusion syndrome, true cord knot, cord stricture and placental insufficiency.. Routine first trimester ultrasound is essential for early diagnosis of twin pregnancy and to determine zygosity. Keeping twin pregnancies under close follow-up is recommended.

Fetus papyraceus: a rare case report

“…Intrauterine death of one of the twins may be due to twinto-twin transfusion syndrome, placental insufficiency, congenital anomalies, velamentous cord insertion, cord stricture. 7,8 The prognosis of the surviving fetus in a case of fetal demise of co twin depends on factors such as gestational period at the time of death, period between fetal demise and delivery of the surviving fetus, number of fetuses, chorionicity, and cause of death. The prognosis of the surviving twin is better in the dichorionic twin as compared to monochorionic twin.…”