Israeli Woman Gives Birth to Healthy Mono-Mono Twins After Refusing Pregnancy Termination

Lior Zucker, a 29-year-old woman from Kiryat Haim, gave birth last week to healthy twin girls despite medical advice to terminate her rare and high-risk "mono-mono" pregnancy. This condition involves twins sharing a single amniotic sac without a dividing membrane, which poses significant risks such as umbilical cord entanglement. Zucker discovered the pregnancy at seven weeks and was initially surprised but happy. However, doctors strongly recommended ending the pregnancy due to the dangers involved.

Despite the warnings and pressure from medical experts, Zucker chose to continue the pregnancy, motivated by a strong internal belief that everything would be fine. She and her husband Aviv sought specialists willing to support their decision and eventually found Professor Ido Sholet, head of the Maternal-Fetal Unit at Rambam Medical Center, who agreed to oversee the pregnancy. Zucker underwent frequent monitoring and was hospitalized at 26 weeks for close supervision.

The medical team aimed to reach approximately 32 weeks before performing a planned cesarean section to avoid fetal distress. Due to heightened security concerns and a planned Iranian attack, the surgery was moved up by a week. During the cesarean, the twins were found to be physically connected inside the womb and were delivered while still holding onto each other. Zucker described the moment she heard their cries as a profound relief.

The twins were named Shai Shoshan and Emmanuel Lee, with Shai named after Zucker's grandmother, who appeared to her in a dream before the birth. Zucker reflected on the journey from being urged to terminate the pregnancy to receiving support and ultimately welcoming a precious gift. The birth took place at Rambam Medical Center in Haifa under the care of Professors Sholet, Yaniv Zipori, and Udi Argez.