Awareness Of Early Scans To Detect Conjoined Twins Still Low In Malaysia

From Diah Mohd Jaiz

RIYADH, Nov 24 (Bernama) -- The level of awareness among pregnant women in Malaysia on the need to undergo early scans to detect conjoined twin pregnancies is still low, according to a specialist.

Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital Kuantan maternal-foetal medicine specialist Dr Roziah Husin said early detection of foetal condition allows the medical team to provide close monitoring and offer the best advice and guidance to expectant mothers regarding their pregnancy.

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“Conjoined twin pregnancies can be identified as early as the 10th to 12th week of gestation, but the majority of the cases in Malaysia are detected at around 20 weeks of pregnancy.

“The survival rate for conjoined twin pregnancies is only between five and 25 per cent, and early detection is crucial in determining whether to continue or terminate the pregnancy,” she said after attending the launch of the International Conference on Conjoined Twins 2024 here today.

Dr Roziah added that early detection also enables the medical team to better plan the surgery for delivery based on the condition of the conjoined twin foetuses.

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Meanwhile, Tunku Azizah Hospital Kuala Lumpur paediatric surgery consultant Dr Mohd Yusof Abdullah said Malaysia has the expertise and technology on par with other countries for performing separation surgeries for conjoined twins.

He said the participation of representatives from the Ministry of Health (MOH) in this conference enables knowledge-sharing on the latest technologies and best practices that can be applied to surgical methods and treatments in Malaysia.

“This conference is very important, especially for developing training in surgical methods, as cases involving conjoined twins are rare,” he said.

Organised by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief), the two-day conference featured various programmes, including medical presentations with discussions focusing on best practices in the care of conjoined twins, surgical interventions, maternal care, ethical considerations and social inclusion.

-- BERNAMA