A Boston mother-to-be feared for the worst when she went into labor after only 24 weeks of pregnancy with her twin boys. When Lindalva DaSilva arrived at Tufts Medical Center, the doctors had only one option — deliver the babies, or at least they thought that would be the end of the story. (You probably see where this is going since the article title calls them “miracle twins,” but play along, it’ll be fun!)
The February 2014 hospital trip resulted in the arrival of Alexandre DaSilva, who weighed just 1 pound, 10 ounces. In most cases, when a child is delivered around the 24-week point, he or she has a 50/50 chance of living. Now that the first of the two babies were in the medical staffs’ hands, it was time for Lindalva to turn her attention to the next delivery. However, as Mother Nature would have it, the miracle twins began earning their name: the delivery process ended, and the doctors decided to extend Lindalva’s pregnancy. This is a rare, but not entirely uncommon options for mothers who experience early deliveries.
Miracle Twins: Welcome Home!
Ronaldo DaSilva was not ready to make his grand entrance into the world. So he waited. And waited. And waited a little more. In total, Alexandre experienced 24 days of life while his brother was still in the womb. Fortunately for Ronaldo, the time was well spent: he met Boston for the first time weighing in at three times his brother’s birthweight.
The people who have been with the miracle twins at both stages of their arrival are convinced they are two extra special fellas. Of course their mother and father feel this way, but it is hard to hear this story and not become convinced that Alexandre’s survival and Ronaldo’s later arrival are phenomenal examples of perseverance. Alexandre defied the doctors’ dire mortality rate and Ronaldo arrived in good health — fashionably late, even.
Hopefully these little guys will get home by the end of the month, maybe on or around their original due date. It already appears they are willing to go to extremes for their personal space, so it may be wise for their parents to give them their own rooms!
