INFLUENCE OF FETOFETAL TRANSFUSION SYNDROME ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM
Fetofetal transfusion syndrome (FFTS), which occurs in about 10–15 % of all monochorial pregnancies, is a consequence of the development of deep anastomoses in the vascular tree of the placenta. As a result, a violation takes place in the blood circulation system of twins, in which one fetus, the «donor,» suffers from a deficiency of plastic substances and oxygen, and the other fetus, the «recipient,» is exposed to an excess volume of blood. This process is due to the connection of the fetal vessels and the formation of an arteriovenous shunt. Fetofetal transfusion syndrome leads to unpredictable and sometimes irreversible severe consequences. This affects the occurrence of pathologies of the cardiovascular system of twins, manifested in pre- and postnatal period. Having c reviewed all the possible consequences of the FFTS, we can conclude that abnormalities in the cardiovascular system with this syndrome are possible both in the prenatal and postnatal periods. Pathologies arising from circulatory disorders in the «donor» and «recipient» affect the whole organism. Therefore, there is a need for an early diagnosis of pregnant women with monochorial twins to detect signs of irregularities in hemocirculation and timely monitoring of the development of the FFTS.